Choosing You (Natsu Dragneel Love Story)
by KittenCobra
Summary: NatsuXOC. A travel-weary fire nymph bargains with Makarov Dreyar for her last hope toward finding a love that will sustain her. Natsu Dragneel is enamored with her despite her demeanor and entourage. The pyro must decipher her secrets before her last embers of affection are snuffed out. Natsu/OC, Gray/Lucy, Gajeel/Levy (Set after the Tenrou Island Arc & before the GMG.)
1. Chapter 1 - Welcome to Fairy Tail

As Gina strolls through the front doors of the guild hall, she is surprised at the scene in front of her. There are wizards of differing varieties scattered at the tables in the main room; drinking, laughing, arguing, and carrying on. This group is a much rowdier bunch than she'd encountered in other guild halls across the land, even though it's guild hall was tiny in comparison. It is a glorified one-story pub that resembles a windmill more than a respectable guild hall. Fairy Tail had once been one of the strongest guilds in all of Fiore, but after the disappearance of nearly all of its elite members a little more than 7 years ago, the guild suffered terrible losses in both assets and reputation. Now, local rumor indicates that those missing members have spontaneously returned under mysterious circumstances.

As Gina scans the guild members, they all seemed to bear the mark of their guild somewhere on their body - as is the tradition with most guilds. One woman drinking a large keg all by herself sports the mark on her lower belly; which is only visible because she is dressed in pants and a bikini top. A young blonde woman beside her has a pink version of the mark stamped onto the back of her hand. The color of a guild mark varies, according to its wearer's personal preference, while the pattern remains identical. The Fairy Tail guild stamp resembles a small body with arrow-like, forward-pointing feet, three backward-trailing swoops for wings, and a long, pointed tail.

As she wanders through the center of the room, she is approached by a handsome young man sporting a blue version of the mark on his pec. He is tall, lean and muscular with dark bluish-black, short-cropped hair, curious and slanted eyes, and thin lips. His mark is visible to her because for some odd reason he is strolling around in only pants. His feet are even bare…

"Hello miss…?" he says in a deep, smooth tone with a charming smirk.

Oddly, something about the boy bothers her, but she can't place the source. _Awww man, I hope he isn't the Salamander…_ she thinks to herself. The Salamander is one of the elite members who had gone missing, and who she hoped to learn more about. He is a fire-based dragon slayer; a true rarity among mages.

"Oh, hello," she replies with a smile that would charm even a dragon, "Could you help me?"

"Uh…," he says after looking stunned for just a moment; exactly as she had hoped for, "Sure. You uh… look lost?"

"Yes," she says with a tinkling laugh, "Someone outside told me this was the Fairy Tail wizard guild. I was looking for someone named Makarov Dreyer. Do you happen to know who he is?"

The young man lets out a genuine laugh. "Oh sure, everyone here knows who he is. He's our guild master. Does he know you're coming?"

"Not exactly…" she says with an intentional blush and a smile. "I was hoping to surprise him."

"Well…," he says, rubbing the back of his neck and looking uncertain, "I guess I can show you to his office." Turning to the side he mutters under his breath, "It's not like she's a threat or anything…"

He holds out his hand and she grasps it thankfully while joking with him, "Is it a bit hot in here for your taste?"

But as soon as she touches his hand, she yanks in back with a gasp. He is as cold as ice! No wonder he is freezing while being half dressed like that!

"Uh… You okay?" he asks with a worried look. "What do you mean?"

"Oh," she laughs uncertainly, "Wow… your hands are cold. I was just wondering why you were walking around half dressed. Seems like it's making you pretty co…"

"Aww man!" he shouts, looking down at his appearance as if in surprise.

Then it clicks like a giant gear declaring her own stupidity. "Oh! You…! You're an ICE wizard aren't you?"

"Yeah," he laughs nervously. "That obvious huh? My name is Gray Fullbuster. And you are?"

"My name is Aegina Asterope," she replies with a smile. "Gina for short."

"Nice to meet you. Come on, I'll show you the way."

She lets him lead her forward; careful not to take his hand again.

* * *

A firm knock upon the door alerts Makarov that Gray has finally arrived. He has been able to sense him approaching for a while now. However, he can't quite identify the person approaching with him. Their magic is not only foreign, but being masked by something.

"Come in, before one of us dies of old age, boy," he quips without looking up from his tome, "and announce your friend, will you?"

"Hey, gramps," Gray replies, "This is… ah…"

"Aegina Asterope," she says with a smile to the old man. He is SO much shorter than she expected that she stifles a giggle. _This old man is that powerful?_ she wonders.

"Pleased to meet you," he says, still scanning his book. "Thank you, Gray. You can leave us now."

"Sure…" Gray says with a sigh, strolling casually from the room and closing the door behind him.

"Now, young lady," Makarov says, looking up with a squint and a grin. "What can I help you with?"

"I believe I sent you a letter a few months ago," she says, sitting down at the big chair in front of his temporary desk in the guilds now-meager library. "I was asking about joining your guild. I understand that you normally don't accept members my age unless they have proven themselves as considerable wizards, but I was hoping you could make an exception. I come with very positive recommendations…"

"Ah, yes," he says, sitting back against his chair and tenting his fingers with a thoughtful expression. "I do remember your letter. I have to say, you are much different than I imagined you would be. Now let me see here…" he pulls out a desk drawer and begins shuffling through a large stack of papers. Finally, he pulls one from the very bottom and squints at it thoughtfully. "Here we are… in your letter Miss… Aegina…"

"Gina, please," she says with honey dripping from her voice.

The old man pauses with a simple stare. "Of course. Gina." He sits back against his chair again. "You are older than even your letter lead me to believe. What are you now… 17?"

"Nineteen," she says with a blush, "I know it is too old for admittance sir, as I have very little magical skill, but I would love to be accepted into your guild, if you would only make an exception. Perhaps you would admit me for a short period? Would you give me six months to prove myself?"

"First, why don't you show me what you _can_ do," he replies. "We admitted another wizard of holding recently, Miss Lucy Heartfilia; so, I would like to see what I'm working with."

"Very well." She rises from her chair and walks around behind it. Then she pulls out a set of magical tokens from her pocket.

"Serpent's strike!" she shouts, flipping the token, and slapping it to the back of her hand. A single serpent shoots forth from her closed fist and snaps its jaws shut inches from his face. Then with a flick of her wrist, it retracts and disappears. She draws a second token from her pocket, and is about to flip it when his voice breaks through.

"Stop…" he says with a sigh. "I'm sorry, but we cannot admit you to Fairy Tail at this time. Even for training."

"What…?" she says as her arm begins to droop. "But I… I haven't even… I can do better! I can…"

"It is not a matter of your strength or skill young lady," he says, sitting back with a glare. "I will not admit anyone to this guild who is lying to me. I am no fool."

"I don't know what you mean…" she says backing towards the door very slightly.

"DON'T YOU?!" he shouts, suddenly doubling in size. His voice drops into a roar, and he shouts, "What kind of fool do you take me for?!"

"Ahhhh!" she screeches in surprise, turning to flee.

His hand juts out and blocks her path to the door. Despite her attempts to counter it, her natural magic pulses forth slightly to defend her, but she stifles it down.

"Sir, I don't know what you're talking about. I…"

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" his voice continues to boom. He grips her throat, and her resolve snaps in true panic as the fire flares from her blood.

* * *

As he strolls through the front door of the guild, Natsu Dragneel takes a look around for the familiar faces of his guild members – his family.

"Hey Lucy!" he shouts, waving to his blonde friend. "What's everyone up to?"

"Oh, you know… the usual," she says with a smile. "I heard that Gray…"

Suddenly, Makarov's voice booms from the library area he's using as his temporary office, but isn't clear enough to understand.

"What the hell?!" Natsu shouts, taking off at a run for Gramp's door at full speed.

He passes Gray, frozen in surprise in the middle of the main room. Natsu slams his shoulder into the closed door with Happy – his blue, magical, flying cat friend – hot on his heels.

"What's going on?!" he shouts, as the door splinters in front of him.

"Aye!" Happy shouts.

He hears a shrill, feminine shriek and then freezes in shock. Makarov is sitting in his chair… and the most beautiful woman Natsu has ever seen is sitting in his lap, and staring at Natsu in apparent horror. She's a tiny little thing, no doubt unable to even reach his shoulder when standing. She's thin but very curvy, with legs that are shockingly long in comparison to her short stature. She also appears to be around his age. Gramp's voice snaps him out of his surprise.

"Why hello, Natsu," Makarov chuckles, "I didn't realize you were here yet today."

"What the hell are you doing old man?!" he says with disgust, yanking the young woman to her feet and against his body. "You pervert! What were you doing to her?"

Natsu freezes.

When the woman's back thumps against his chest after his dramatic rescue, he feels a jolt hit the center of his spine and run all the way up and down it. He feels his very magic shudder. It felt… good. And the smell of her… _Holy flying cats!_ He takes a not so subtle sniff of her hair. She smells like the sweetest… _food…_ he's ever tasted; like rich chocolate or… a smoldering fire. _That is so weird…_ he thinks. He pulls away from her slightly to look into her face.

Her eyes are lavender; like the flowers that bloom in the center of town. Her skin is alabaster pale, and her hair is as black as coal. Her fiery red lipstick stands out boldly, and he feels the sudden desire to drool. The feeling is overridden as he remembers the Master's roaring voice, and finding her in the man's lap.

* * *

 _Natsu…?_ Gina's mind feels stuck.

She takes in the appearance of the young man she has dreaded meeting. There is no doubt he is the Salamander she has heard so much about in her travels. She would have been able to sense the fire magic within him just from standing in the same room, but when he drew her against his body it was all she could do to keep her own fire magic from responding in an obvious way. Her unique magic would call out to someone like him, but could lead to her own destruction if she was not careful.

She has come here to learn more about him, and tries to glean what she can from his appearance now. He has rounded dark black eyes, and spiky salmon-pink hair that falls nearly in front of his eyes on his left side. His body is lean, and she can see the tension coiled in his muscles. She caught a glimpse of his red guild mark earlier, high upon his right arm; shown off by his overcoat which leaves his right arm completely exposed. The overcoat is fastened around the waist with a belt and, partnered with a loose pair of white pants that end in black ties just below the knee. He also has a white, scale-patterned scarf around his neck, and a black sweatband on his right wrist.

He is nearly as tall as Gray, making his lean body somewhat dwarf her own, and his face is equally handsome. Even though his features seem slightly more boyish, they are twisted into an expression of outrage and disgust. As she quickly takes in the details, he turns back to face the old man with a raised fist wreathed in flames.

"Now now…" Makarov's scolding tone cuts into her thoughts as he sits back against his chair. "Don't you jump to conclusions, Natsu. How could you accuse your old Master of such a thing? She jumped into my lap in fright because _someone_ burst through my door and scared the life out of her!"

 _That much was true…_ She had already been scared out of her mind, trying to avoid Makarov's grasp when the door behind her shattered with Natsu's entrance. She's not even sure how she ended up on the other side of the desk, but had been desperate to dodge the new apparent threat. _These people are crazy! But… why is Makarov acting like nothing is wrong…?_

"Is that true?!" Natsu turns to shout at her, obviously not believing it for a minute.

"Y….. yes…" she mumbles with a tremble to her lips. Her eyes dart briefly to Makarov, holding the tinge of confusion within them, and then back to Natsu's handsome face. _What do I do?…_ she thinks in panic. "I'm sorry. It really… wasn't his fault at all… I…" She releases just an ounce of charm magic to compensate for her own confusion.

* * *

Her large eyes bore into his own with such force Natsu feels almost compelled to believe her, but he's not sure whether he should or not. Her tone of voice was completely unconvincing.

"But I heard you yell at her!" he turns to shout at the old man again, shaking off the feeling.

"Foolish boy…" the old man begins to laugh, and Natsu feels his blood boil.

"What the heck, Natsu?!" Gray shouts while coming up behind him. "What the hell are you doing, you big idiot…"

"You're one to talk, you frosty streaker!" he retorts, feeling slightly deflated.

"You…" the mystery woman mumbles, almost in a daze, "You're the salamander…"

"Huh?" he wonders aloud, and then realizes there are flames surrounding his raised fist. _How did that happen without me noticing?_ He wonders. "Uhhh…" he chuckles nervously, and then points proudly at his chest with his thumb, "That's right! I'm Natsu Dragneel! Fairy Tail's very own dragon slayer!"

"You are a pest!" The old man shouts. "This is Aegina Asterope… Gina is my grandniece… on my sister's side. And you've interrupted our conversation. I was not _shouting_ at her. I was yelling in excitement."

"You have a sister…?" Gray mumbles in surprise.

"That was really scary for an excited voice…" Happy sighs.

"Your grandniece?!" Natsu shouts in surprise, taking a close look at her again. _No way… this is the hottest chick I've ever seen! There's no way she's related to the old man!_

"Oh, that must be why she said she wanted to surprise you," Gray comments blandly.

"I'm sorry Gina," Natsu chuckles with embarrassment, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess I overreacted. I honestly didn't even know you were here. I just heard the old man shout and I…"

"Yes, yes, Natsu. We know," the old man continues to scold. "You just react without thinking. Now please, everyone leave us so I can catch up with my grandniece properly."

"Fine…" Natsu mumbles with disappointment, and follows everyone out the door and back downstairs.

* * *

"Ummmm…" Gina says, snapping out of her daze to look back towards the old man. "Your grandniece..?"

"As if you could have come up with a better excuse…" he mutters, glaring at her and walking over to place some form of magic seal over where the door should be. "Weak young wizard my wrinkled behind…"

"But sir, I…"

"I know what you are now," he says with a smirk, and a devilish twinkle in his eye. "There's no use in hiding it. I have to admit though… I never believed I would meet one of your kind in my lifetime. Nymphs are nearly as rare as dragons I hear… and a _fire_ nymph at that. Many wager your kind don't exist at all. The documented appearances are all water and tree nymphs."

"Damn it…" Gina says with a frustrated sigh, flopping back down in her own chair. "How the hell do you know that?"

"It was quite easy my dear," he says with a broad smile, "When I frightened you, I could sense your fire magic break through; although, Natsu conveniently provided me all the confirmation I needed. His own fire magic responded to your proximity immediately, trying to draw from you. It's a good thing that young upstart doesn't know what that means. Now… why are you truly here?"

"I honestly want to spend time in your guild sir," she says, giving up on her false story.

"Why would Fairy Tail be of interest to a Nymph? I've been told your species prefer discretion and secrecy. We have a reputation for being rather… public."

"I want to observe your wizards in action," she says, pulling a paper from her pocket and passing it to him. "My people are willing to pay you, through an official but completely secret contract, if that is what it takes. I have visited several other guilds as you can see listed there."

He glances down at the paper, and then looks back up in her face in surprise. "This is quite a lot of money young lady… and this says…"

"Yes," she cuts him off, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "There is one wizard in particular who interests me. I would like to be assigned to his team if possible."

"We don't generally have assigned teams," he says with a suddenly devilish grin, "but if you're willing to pay this much jewel through a formal contract… I might be able to arrange something. Are you sure you want to keep your true form a secret?"

"If not, we do not have a deal and I disappear," she says, putting true authority in her voice for the first time.

"How do you plan to keep it a secret from everyone here? They are not as foolish as you seem to believe…" he says with a raised eyebrow.

"They're not fools, but they're not as perceptive as you are either. I have yet to meet someone else who is, in fact. I am honestly probably not the first nymph you have met. We all mask our own magic with a false form. We attempt to use it sparingly because it can be harmful, but it is the only way to survive as a species. To reveal our true nature is to invite death."

"Tell me then… why are your people so interested in this arrangement?" he asks. "It's an awful lot of money to pay for a simple dating service."

"It is not a dating service!" she hisses with disgust. "If you must know… I am very rare, even among my own people. There is only one of us born every few centuries with the ability to continue the species. My people consider it an honor. In reality it is a ridiculous responsibility thrown on me against my will. I explained to my people that I will not simply _submit_ to this _responsibility_ with the first eligible wizard that comes along, and I will NOT be forced into a relationship that is not worthy of me. I will travel the world, and I will learn all I can of magic and of other species. I will keep my mind open to the _possibility_ of their request, only if it truly interests me. Meanwhile, they are willing to fund my search out of the hopes that it will result in getting what they want, which works out very conveniently for both of us."

"How much do you already know about my Natsu, young lady?" he asks, leaning forward with that devilish grin again.

"Almost nothing," she admits, "other than the rumors across other guilds of his abilities, and that he recently reappeared after being believed dead. I understand that he is not a typical fire wielder, but uses dragon slaying magic instead. Do you… do you think he would present a danger to me?"

"Natsu?!" he laughs. "Don't be ridiculous! As long as you show yourself to be worthy of his friendship, that boy would no more hurt you than his other companions. And he would never allow someone else to do so with his knowledge. He has a bit of a temper, I'll admit, but you'll get used to it soon enough."

"That's not what I mean…" she says with a slight tinge of true fear creeping into her voice. "My magic could present a temptation to him that even the most conservative wizard could find... If he ever…"

"I'm going to stop you right there," Makarov cuts in with complete seriousness, but his eyes hold compassion and pity. "I know what you are saying, and I understand the true danger in your situation. You are a creature of temptation by nature, and I expect quite a few of my children to grow curious about you. Adding in the complication of your magic form… someone with Natsu's _abilities_ could very well cause you great harm if they chose to. But you asked me if _Natsu himself_ would present a danger to you, and my answer remains no. He is a hot-headed fool, but an honorable one."

"I… believe you," Gina says with a sigh, "Or I would not even attempt to learn more about him."

"You do know that Natsu is going to present quite a problem for you in other ways, correct?" Makarov challenges.

"I have something for that as well. I just didn't expect to run into him so quickly." Gina reaches into her waist bag and pulls out a small egg with purple coil-like patterns on its surface. Stroking the egg gently, the shell begins to fade away revealing a small ferret-like creature. "This is Ming. He has very powerful scent glands that produce a pungent smell. He also has the innate ability to mask the scent of his master, confusing the nose of even the best dragon slayer. He will know my scent is odd, but is not likely to focus in on it."

"Well…" he stifles a laugh, "This should be amusing if nothing else. I do so enjoy the opportunity to annoy my children. Therefore, I agree to your terms. However, if I have any suspicion that you are putting them in mortal danger at any point, I will terminate our agreement… personally."

"Agreed."

* * *

 **Author's Note 8/21/2017:**

Hi everyone! It's been a long time since I have updated FanFiction with any new content. I hope you have enjoyed the first chapter of this new story! I intend to publish a chapter every month, so it will be a much slower release timeline than my earlier pieces, but hopefully that will allow me to stay ahead for you. I already have quite a bit written, as I have been writing this piece to specifically share with my spouse until now.

For those of you who have read my earlier works - _Love Me When I'm Gone_ from the Naruto universe, and _Do You Know Me?_ from the Kenichi universe - you should be aware that I haven't posted any new content in the last couple of years. I know that I worried some of you, and I am sorry for that. Long story short... in 2015 my spouse became a victim of wrongful conviction, and therefore so did I. The last couple of years have been soul-crushing and exhausting, but I will stand by him to the bitter end.

Having my life turned upside down the way it has been has changed a lot of things in my life. One of the only good changes is that I have decided to pursue becoming a published author. I have several books I plan to write in fiction (sci-fi), nonfiction, religious, and children's books. I currently have a children's picture book I am planning to self-publish later this year called Why Can't Uncle Come Home? It is a story designed for young children struggling with the wrongful conviction of a loved one. If you are interested in getting more information on my other writing, visit my Facebook author page ChristianeJoyAllison.

I appreciate all your words of encouragement over the years more than you can know.

\- KittenCobra


	2. Chapter 2 - Meet the Team

"I have to admit," Erza says as she sits down heavily at the table next to Natsu, "I thought I knew the Master better than anyone, but I had no idea he had other family. Why do you think she is here?"

Erza Scarlet is a tall female red-head with long hair. She is dressed in knee-high black boots, a short blue skirt, and upper-body armor. She has large brown eyes in a heart-shaped face, and her scarlet eyebrows are pinched together in thought.

"I have no idea..." Gray mutters with his arms folded across his chest, "but I met her as soon as she came in, and I never even guessed. She's just so..."

"Hot?" Natsu says with a dazed grin on his face, leaning heavily on his forearm.

"Well, yeah, obviously," Gray says with an irritated tone, "but that's not what I meant. She's... she's nothing like him. I didn't see that coming at all."

"You boys have a cru-ush!" Happy shouts in a sing-song voice.

"I do not, Happy!" Natsu argues, snapping out of it. "I was just..."

"You are so immature..." Lucy complains.

Lucy Heartfilia is one of the more recent additions to the Fairy Tail family - or was, before her disappearance on Tenrou island with many other of Fairy Tail's elite mages, including: Makarov Dreyar and his ex-communicated grandson Laxus Dreyar; Natsu Dragneel and his exceed Happy; Wendy Marvell and her exceed Carla; Gajeel Redfox and his exceed Pantherlily; Levy McGarden; Erza Scarlet; Gray Fullbuster; Juvia Lockser; Cana Alberona; Gildarts Clive; Mirajane, Elfman and Lisanna Strauss; Evergreen; Bickslow; and Freed Justine. While on Tenrou Island, during an event which was supposed to be private for the guild, their lives were saved by a spell that froze them in time for the last 7 years. Upon returning, they found their beloved guild in shambles, and are still coming to terms with the changes, as well as the fact that the world continued for 7 years without them while they did not advance in skill or age.

Lucy herself returned to the news of her own father's passing, and she knows the value of family better than most. She is a tall, well-endowed blonde who wears her pink guild mark on the back of her hand. Today she is wearing her standard traveling outfit which consists of knee-high black boots, a short blue mini-skirt, and a white sleeveless top with blue collar and blue cross pattern across the chest. Her accessories include a blue bow in her hair, a belt that holds her gate keys, and the whip she uses in battle.

"Lucy!" Master Makarov's voice shouts from the balcony.

"Yes?" Lucy shouts back, straightening to attention as she turns around to face him.

"Hello my dear," Makarov says strolling up to her with his best do-what-I-ask grin. "This is my grandniece Gina, who I'm sure you've heard about by now. She is going to be spending time with us here at Fairy Tail for a while, but I'm sorry to say her visit was a surprise to me – family emergency you understand – and I have nowhere for her to stay currently. Would you mind if she stayed at your apartment with you for a while? It would truly mean the world to me."

Lucy takes in the woman standing next to Makarov and feels in awe. _Holy crap she is beautiful! She's... she's just as beautiful as Mira and Erza! Maybe even more! Just great..._

"Uh... sure..." Lucy mumbles nervously, not truly wanting to agree. "But... isn't there someone better than me? I mean, after all, I..."

"Well you see, I actually have another favor to ask of you as well," he cuts her off. "Gina suffers from a unique medical condition which is umm..." he coughs gently into his hands, "extremely rare among magicians. It has sapped her of her original form of magic, and she has been forced to learn a new form. The new form she has selected is holding magic. Therefore, you would be the most appropriate person in Fairy Tail for her to train with until her magic develops further."

"Train with?!" Lucy shouts in utter shock, "but... Master Makarov... I'm not a trainer! Surely there is someone more..."

"No," he says, "I do not wish to use the guild's extremely limited resources for extravagant training. Gina learns best through observation, so the best solution would be for her to tag along on your missions for a while. I'm sure she could stay out of the way, and not be too much of a bother."

"What was your original form of magic, Gina?" Natsu cuts in rudely.

"I..." Gina pauses, then looks completely depressed, "I don't like to talk about it. It... hurts too much... and I..." Her voice waivers at the end.

"Awwww... you made her cry, you big meanie!" Happy shouts as a tear rolls down Gina's cheek.

"Seriously, you fire-breathing ass," Gray complains, "how insensitive could you be?"

"What?!" Natsu shouts, leaping up in surprise and waving his arms. "I didn't mean to! How was I supposed to know she didn't want to talk about it?"

"You are so tactless..." Erza sighs.

"Awww, come on!" Natsu protests. He moves to reach out and touch Gina's arm, but she recoils from him rather suddenly. Everyone notices, but no one moves. Natsu looks stunned, and hurt.

 _That seems awfully harsh..._ Lucy thinks. _He must have really scared her earlier._

"I'm sorry," Gina suddenly says, looking up at everyone with a teary eyed smile. "I'm just over-sensitive about it. It's not Natsu's fault. It's hard to start over at my age."

"I can't imagine," Erza says, rising to her feet. She places her hands on her hips and declares, "You can count on Lucy and the rest of our team to get you back on your feet in no time. If you are family to Master Makarov, then you are family to all of us as well. Welcome to Fairy Tail!"

"Thank you," Gina stutters, in what appears to be true happiness. "That is very gracious of you."

 _Great..._ Lucy grinds her teeth with a smile plastered on her face. _She's not staying at your apartment..._

* * *

 **Gina steps out into the bright sunlight, free for the first time in months. _God it feels so good to be in my own skin!_ she thinks.**

 **She looks down at her body, dancing and flickering with fire light. To a human she would appear as a living flame in the form of one of their human females. She begins dancing across the hot sand, loving the heat of her home. Little trails of fire flicker in her wake. She can see her sisters playing in the rays of the sun, far from where anyone could discover them.**

 **"Aegina!" she hears her sister call, racing up to her. "Come quickly!"**

 **The excitement in Aria's voice propels her forward. "What is it?"**

 **"He's here! Your suitor!"**

 **"WHAT?!" she shouts in panic, digging her heels into the hot ground. "No! I won't see him!"**

 **"You must, Aegina! It is your duty..."**

 **"No!" she turns to flee, but suddenly his dark and imposing form blocks her path.**

 **Hiro Fu. He is a tall, blond wizard. His face seems handsome enough, although there is a frightening looking scar dividing his cheekbone from his jaw on one side. But his eyes are cold. She hates the cold...**

 **Now she sits with her back against him, in her human form once again, with nerves building in her stomach. _Why doesn't he say anything?_ She can feel his lips pressed against her neck, and she doesn't even have time to wonder how she feels about it. She begins to feel weak, sick... She tries to pull away. She struggles, rolling away from him, but his grip is strong. She moves to strike his side, but he catches her fist.**

 **"Shhh..." he whispers, hovering over her, "Trust me little nymph."**

 **He trails his lips across her collarbone, neck, jaw, and eventually finds her lips. He kisses her deeply. _It feels so good..._ She forgets her fear and kisses him back, winding her fingers into his long blond hair. Hiro is a fire wizard, and the only type of wizard compatible with her. **

**He rises up to look at her, and when she catches sight of his face again she gasps in shock.**

 ** _Natsu?! Natsu Dragneel..._ The pink-haired man stares down at her with a hungry, wicked gaze. His lips are kiss swollen, and he has her trapped.**

 **"Please!" she begs, "Please, Natsu, let me go!"**

 **"Why would I do that?" he asks. "You smell good enough to eat..." He drops his head and breathes in deeply against her collarbone. Then he captures her mouth again, but as his mouth moves it feels determined; not loving. She begins to feel the fire pulling out from within her, feeding the dragon slayer's hunger.**

 ** _Stop! You'll kill me!_ her mind begs, but he does not hear her. He drinks from her magic, deeper and deeper, as she pounds her fists against his sides. Her vision begins to go black. _I'm going to die..._ her mind continues to protest weakly. _Someone, please..._**

"Gina!"

Gina's eyes snap open to a set of concerned black eyes, just below a head of spiky pink hair. She lets out an involuntary, terrified scream; sitting upright and smashing her face right into Natsu's.

"Ouch!" he hollers, tumbling backwards away from her.

She scuttles back into the corner of the couch away from him, breathing in quick terrified gulps. She can feel her whole body trembling from the nightmare.

"Natsu, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Lucy bellows as she plows into the room in a towel.

"It's not my fault!" he protests. "I was having breakfast in the kitchen, and it sounded like she was breathing really funny – like hyperventilating or something! Then she stopped breathing at all! What was I supposed to do? NOT wake her up?!"

"Why are you even IN my house at 7 in the morning?!" Lucy continues to rage at him.

"Cut him some slack, Lucy," Gray's voice comes from across the room. He is sitting at her desk, in... boxers. Yup, just boxers. Gina can't help but take a slightly better look at him.

"Gray! Your clothes!" Lucy shouts.

"Oh crap!" he yells, as if he is somehow surprised that he's mostly naked.

"Erza! Come help me with these idiots!" Lucy continues raving. "Gina is not used to the crazy house yet!"

"It's alright, Gina," Erza's voice declares as her solid hand comes down on Gina's shoulder. Gina freezes. "Natsu was just concerned for you. Were you having a nightmare?"

"Uhhh..." she so did not want to talk about this... "Yeah. Sorry. I'm okay now though. Thank you, Natsu."

Gina stands up, bows as much as courtesy demands, and leaves the living room heading for the bathroom. She closes and locks the door, effectively ending the conversation as she turns on the hot water for the shower. Then Ming pops his little head out of her night shirt.

"You're supposed to protect me from him, you lazy ferret!" she protests in a whisper. "Where were you?" Ming simply yawns back at her in apparent sleep-deprived boredom.

"Useless tagalong..."

* * *

"Smooth move, dragon breath," Gray chuckles with amusement at Natsu's obvious embarrassment and irritation.

"Shut up, you nudist!" Natsu shoots back in anger, rubbing his forehead on the sore spot.

He hadn't meant to frighten Gina. He really hopes that she only screamed because she was waking up from her nightmare, instead of being that terrified of his face. _That would be awful..._ he thinks with dread. _Why the hell is she so scared of me?_

Natsu picks up the bed sheets draped over the couch and sniffs them. _That's weird..._ he thinks to himself. _Yesterday she smelled good enough to eat, but this smells like cat pee or something._ He had noticed when he leaned in to see if she was breathing that her smell was completely wrong. She smelled afraid, but also... gross.

"Dude..." Gray says with an extremely freaked out look on his face. "Are you smelling the woman's bed sheets? You know how completely perverted that looks right?"

"Uhhh..." Natsu replies in sudden panic, and swallows hard. _Damn he's right. This has got to look beyond creepy..._ "It's not what it looks like!"

"Then you'd better start explaining, buddy," Lucy fumes, "because I am about 10 seconds from _really_ throwing you out of my house!"

"I'm just trying to figure out why her smell is wrong today!" he tries to defend himself.

"How can her smell be _wrong_? What does that even mean?" Gray protests.

"No. Wait..." Erza comes over and stands in front of Natsu. "You know no one has a better sense of smell than Natsu, Gray. If something is wrong with Gina, or something else is going on, we need to know about it. We don't really know Gina herself yet. Now... what does she smell like Natsu?"

"Well..." he says, trying to find the right description. "I only met her yesterday for a little while, and I know it sounds weird, but she smelled good from the moment I got a whiff of her. Like... _really good_. But this morning... I swear she smells like cat pee or something. I could smell fear on her for sure, like from her nightmare or something, but this is way stronger. Ugh... just trying to figure it out is making me queasy..."

"Cat pee..." Gray scoffs. "That's weird. And what did you mean when you said 'really good'?"

"Oh, just forget it!" he shouts back, not wanting to make this look even worse than it already does.

Suddenly, the shower water shuts off in Lucy's bathroom and everyone sprints to various positions in the living room; acting as if they weren't standing around discussing the way she smells. Within a minute or two, Gina steps out into the main room in nothing but a towel. She casually strolls over to the couch and fishes around in her bag. Natsu is staring at her so blatantly that Happy slaps him in the face with his paw and glares.

 _But she is so beautiful..._ he thinks, as if Happy could hear his thoughts. She has mile-long legs, and curves in all the right places. Her black hair is down, and dripping water onto the floor. _Hey... she just showered..._ he thinks, and tries to get a new whiff of her. It's like smelling a combination of chocolate and cat pee, and he wrinkles his nose in displeasure. _That is so weird!_

"Gina, would you like to join the rest of us on a job today?" Erza approaches her with a smile. "We're eager to get to know you better."

 _Job?_ Natsu wonders. _Did Erza really pick up a job, or is she just making small talk?_ He looks at Gray to check, but the jerk is paying more attention to Gina's figure than their conversation. He glares at Gray, who senses it, and glares back with a 'What?' look on his face and a shrug to his shoulders.

"Job?" Gina responds to Erza, turning around.

Everyone gasps.

"What is that?!" Lucy screeches, pointing to the furry head sticking out from between Gina's breasts and looking around the room.

 _It looks like a weird cross between a raccoon and a rat,_ Natsu thinks in confusion. _Is that what smells so bad?_

"Oh him?" Gina says with a 100-megawatt smile. "This is my pet, Ming. He's a ferret. Isn't he adorable?" She begins making girlish little cooing noises at the strange creature.

Then the thing – _Ming, did she say?_ – leaps out of Gina's boobs and straight towards Natsu.

"Hey, hey! What's it doing?!" he shouts in surprise. Before he can get a grip on it, it twirls all over his body, sniffing and chattering. _Oh God, this thing smells awful!_ "Get it off me!"

"Awww..." Gina sighs fondly with a giggle, "He smells Happy's scent on you. He's trying to figure you out."

"We'll I'm me, and Happy is Happy. It's pretty simple," Natsu objects. "Now get him off me! He smells awful!"

"How could you say that?" Gina says with a hurt expression.

With a snap of her fingers, the creature leaps back onto her chest and curls up there like some kind of... weird... smelly... thing.

"Natsu doesn't really mean to be so mean, Gina," Happy says with a sigh. "It's just that he has a sensitive nose."

"Yeah, I have to admit," Gray says with a chuckle, "even I can smell the little guy now. Natsu's got the nose of a blood hound, so he's probably getting a major overload."

"Well, he stays with me," Gina says with a glare to Natsu. "If you get to keep Happy around, there is no way you can make me leave Ming behind."

"Hey!" Happy objects.

 _Oh God NO!_ Natsu thinks in panic. _I can't have that little monster around all the time!_ "Now wait a minute! Happy is family, he's not..."

"Well, Ming is _my_ family," Gina fires right back.

"Hey, I agree with Gina on this one," Lucy says with a coo of her own. "This little guy is adorable."

* * *

 _Thank God Lucy and Erza like Ming enough to argue it out with Natsu._ Gina pats Ming on the head fondly, and rubs under his chin. "You did perfectly, little guy," she whispers to him, "You completely overloaded Natsu's sense of smell. He'll be smelling ferret for days, and most likely avoid getting a whiff of me entirely in the future."

Contrary to appearances, even though Ming couldn't talk like Happy he was a highly intelligent creature. He had helped her mask her scent most of her life, as many of his own relatives had done for hers for many generations. He could play the adorable card, but could just as easily jump to her aid if needed.

Gina dresses in her traveling outfit. Her sleeveless jean vest is unbuttoned over her black tank top. The neckline is cut low enough to allow Ming to travel snuggled up to her chest at all times, but she also keeps a soft leather satchel with her for him to sleep in. Her form-fitted jean skirt extends to mid-thigh, but is cut high enough on one side to prevent it from restricting her movement. As she zips up the back of her knee-high, 3-inch-heeled, black leather boots, she hears a quiet knock on the door.

"Come in," she says, glancing up.

"Hi Gina," Lucy says, strolling in with a smile. "Are you ready to head out?"

"Yes, I'm just about finished," she replies. "I'm sorry. Am I delaying everyone?"

"Actually no..." Lucy says with a nervous laugh. "It turns out Natsu needed a shower too. He should be out in a few minutes though. Then we'll all be ready to leave."

"Oh," Gina says, hiding a smile behind her hair, "alright. I'll just come out and join all of you to wait then."

"Gina?" Lucy says, holding out a hand in question. "I need to ask you something."

"Okay..."

"Are you _really_ afraid of Natsu as much as you seem to be?" Lucy says with a concerned expression.

Gina's not sure how to answer that question. She doesn't want to lie to Lucy, but it is a terribly convenient excuse to keep her distance from him to observe. If she gets too close to him, it increases the odds that he would detect her fire magic. Even worse, Gina's not truly sure how exposure to Natsu himself could affect her own ability to contain that magic. The flare she had when he touched her before in the office had surprised her, and exposed her to Makarov. And she could not ignore what he was...

In the end she decided to be as honest with Lucy as she could. "Well... I'd heard about him before coming to the guild actually..."

"Really?" Lucy says, sounding surprised.

"I mean, I'd heard he was a fire-based dragon slayer," she clarifies. "That means he like... _eats_ fire right? Doesn't that freak you out even a little?"

"Well... I have to admit it took some getting used to," Lucy replies with a bright smile, "but trust me. When you get to know Natsu, he's an absolutely great guy."

"So you don't think he's dangerous?" Gina asks honestly.

"Natsu?" Lucy says incredulously. "To buildings and really bad people, heck yeah. But to friends, and members of Fairy Tail, not a chance. He's protected me more times than I can count, and when someone needs him... he _never_ gives up. You should really give him a chance."

"Okay," Gina says with a smile. "I'll try."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Hi everyone! I know I said I would post a new chapter once a month, but... I realized that would take roughly 3 years before I got caught up to where I am currently writing in the story. So, I've decided to try and update twice a month instead of once. Please let me know what you think, and enjoy!


	3. Chapter 3 - Lousy Wizard

Gina spent this morning showing Lucy her holding magic, because the group was determined to know what she was 'capable of' before setting out. Seeing the pity in the young girl's eyes is more aggravating than she will ever admit aloud. Even worse, she's never had to demonstrate this much before. That's basically all her holding magic is; a big show. It isn't powerful enough to really do any good, and with good reason.

Her false magic is an odd blend of holding magic and chance magic. She has an entire bag of various coins; some more or less powerful than others. Most of the magic is held within the coins themselves, and so the magic she has to use to activate them is minimal. She can recharge them as needed while she travels without putting a strain on her system. All the coins have a more powerful and less powerful side, and the side the coin lands on determines the strength of the skill that comes forward from it.

Using this false form of magic is a direct contradiction to her natural internal magic. Makarov's explanation about her being sick is truly ironic, because using this form of magic for too long could truly cause such a thing. To a wizard, the condition could potentially cause them to lose their magic; just as Makarov described. In her case it could be lethal. Her fire magic is her very life force. Gina, however, has been playing this game for years, and will continue to do so as long as it means freedom from the expectations of her people.

"I warned you, I suck," Gina tells Lucy with a heavy sigh, leaning against a nearby tree for support.

"Oh… ah.. n-no no! Of course not!" Lucy says with a nervous laugh. "You're just learning something new. It must be really hard…"

"Yeah, you really do suck," Gray mumbles.

"It's like you're trying to fly with your arms tied behind your back," Natsu chimes in. "I'm not so sure this is a good idea."

"Shut up you two!" Erza bellows, bashing them both on the head. "Gina is trying her best. That's all any member of Fairy Tail is asked to do every day."

 _Oh, great… now I really feel like shit…_ Gina finds her attention captured by the loud-mouthed dragon slayer again as he fumes, stomps and complains about just being honest. She's frustrated by his lack of faith in her. If he could really see her ability, he might even be impressed… but showing off your fire magic to a fire consumer when loss of said fire could kill you… was tantamount to suicide.

"Please tell me I'm not the only one that can sense that her magic is totally off, right?" Natsu bellows, and Gina's spine straightens in fear.

"Of course not, you idiot!" Gray shouts back. "But you don't have to be such a jerk about it! Gramps already told us she was sick. Why are you making a big deal about it?"

 _Crap…_ she isn't used to wizards being able to see through her act so clearly, but she also isn't used to using it so much. Normally she could enter a guild more quietly, and come off as aloof or mysterious. It doesn't seem to be possible to do anything quietly in this guild.

"Well… yeah I guess," Natsu says looking towards her sheepishly with an apology in his eyes. "I'm sorry Gina. I wasn't trying to be a jerk about it."

Gina hates that look on his face, and hates that it was her own lie that caused it. It seems unnatural for him to look so sad. She narrows her eyes at him, and pulls the Taskmaster token from her pocket. With a flick of her fingers she tosses the coin and slaps it against her forearm. The token lands with its weak side – the whip – down and a whip shoots out of the ground in front of her, wrapping quickly around Natsu's ankle and tossing him to the ground as he shouts in surprise. Lucy giggles, Gray outright laughs, and Erza just looks surprised.

"Hey!" he bellows, quickly bouncing up on his feet, red in the face, "What the heck was that for?!"

"Don't pity me, dragon slayer," Gina spits at him. "I don't like that look on your face or anyone else's. You want to help me, then let's just get moving instead of standing around here and stating the obvious."

"Fine!" he shouts back, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting. "Come on Lucy, let's get going! I'm tired of watching her wear herself out anyway…"

"Alright," Erza concedes, speaking for the group, "Let's grab our bags and head out."

 _Those are her bags…?_ Gina thinks weakly as she stares at the cart full of suitcases Erza begins dragging along behind her. Gina stands up straighter and moves to follow, but stumbles. She's used way too much false magic, and should never have made that last move against Natsu.

As she tries to regain her balance, she feels herself get caught up in a pair of strong arms, and she's horrified to realize they are Natsu's. With her face pressed against his chest, he smells of charcoal and musk, and her fire magic sparks immediately; as if tempting him to harm her. _Oh shit…_

"Whoa there," Natsu says gently, "Careful. Looks like you overdid it a bit." Then the expression on his face shifts to confusion, and she can tell he senses the change in her.

She hits him squarely in the chest, pushing away and trying to get some distance. "I don't need your help," she huffs, trying to cover her response to him. _It's not fair for him to smell so good!_

Natsu's expression morphs back into anger, but instead of shouting he just mutters, "Whatever…" and walks away.

* * *

 _Man this sucks so bad…_ Natsu thinks to himself days later as he lags behind the rest of the group. He hates this stupid trip! He wants it to be over, and for things to go back to normal. It's not like he doesn't like Gina… _But what did I do to piss her off so much?_ He's caught her watching him more than once along their travels this week, but every time he does she immediately looks angry. _It's not fair! All I've ever done is try to help that chick, and she practically wants to rip my guts out! Maybe… maybe I need to try and start over. That's it! I'll go over and apologize. Ugh… wait. If I go over there, I have to get closer to that… thing. What did she say it was called? A ferret. Gross… Why does she have to carry it around anyway? I wonder if she even knows how good she smells without it…_

"Natsu!" Happy whines, breaking into his train of thought. "You're not even listening to me, are you?"

"Oh," he chuckles. "Sorry Happy. I was just thinking about something else."

"I hate her," Happy says with his arms folded, hovering like a small storm cloud in the air with his white wings.

"What?" Natsu asks, genuinely surprised. "What's that about?" He stops walking to put more distance between them and the rest of the group. Erza, Gray, Lucy and Gina continue on ahead around the corner and out of sight.

"Gina. She treats you like crap," Happy begins venting. "You never did anything wrong, but she acts like she's scared of you for _no good reason_! She calls you 'dragon-slayer' like it's an insult instead of an honor. And I think she keeps Ming around just to make you have to smell him all the time!"

It was kind of fun to get to hear someone else complain about all the things that bothered him. But deep down, he didn't really want Happy to dislike Gina. "Now, hold on little guy… Maybe she…"

"Worst of all is that you like her!" Happy shouts, his whole little body quivering with anger.

"What?" Natsu says, genuinely stunned. "I do not!"

"Yes you do!" he continues. "You stare at her _all day! Everywhere_ we go!"

"Shut up!" Natsu yells, grabbing the little guy and shoving his hand over his mouth. He can feel his own face turning red. The woman is ridiculously beautiful, and Natsu's embarrassed to realize he's been caught staring so blatantly.

"Mmmhh—hmmm-grphmmmm!" Happy mumbles beneath his hand before biting him.

"Ouch!" Natsu yells, ripping his hand away.

"I won't shut up! Not until you listen to me!" Happy shouts, near bawling.

"Fine, just do so _quietly!"_ Natsu pleads in a hoarse whisper.

"I don't see how you can like someone like her," Happy says with a pout and teary eyes. "Just because she's pretty is no excuse."

"I DON'T like her Happy," Natsu pleads with him. "You're right. She's completely mean! She's also drop-dead gorgeous, and that isn't my fault! But she's obviously had a hard life. I mean… I couldn't imagine losing my fire magic. I'd probably be more than a little grumpy."

"See! Now you're defending her, you big idiot!" Happy protests. "You hardly pay attention to Lucy and I anymore. You're always watching her, like 'Hello! Lights on, but nobody's home!' It makes you look stupid! And every time you try to be nice to her, she walks away from you or says something mean. You need to snap out of it!"

 _I DON'T KNOW HOW!_ Natsu's mind screams in frustration. _Her hating me so much only makes me want to fix it!_ "Look, I'll try and talk to her again, okay?" Natsu pleads. "Maybe if we can hash things out, she won't be on my mind so much because it won't be bothering me?"

Happy glares at him, looking unconvinced. "Fine…" he mutters. "You're such a big idiot."

* * *

 _Shit, shit, shit…_ Gina chants to herself. _I've pushed it way too far this time…_

She can feel her fire magic boiling beneath the surface of her skin like a fever. She has been on the road with Lucy, Gray, Erza, Happy and… Natsu… for almost 2 full weeks now. She has been using her false magic every day during their trip, due to Lucy and Erza's insistence that she 'practice' to become stronger. It is wreaking havoc on her internal magic. She's done everything she could to keep her distance from the dragon slayer, despite his persistent attempts to talk to her.

Fate seems to be against her. The last three days they'd spent on the road had forced them to sleep together in a large tent instead of a hotel as they made their way back to civilization. Their last job had been spent routing these big nasty rats out of an old village begging for help. Then, it all went to hell last night…

 **She felt warm. Warmer than she'd felt in days. She wanted to let her magic loose so badly, but it was too dangerous.** _ **This feels so good…**_ **she purrs to herself,** _ **this helps.**_ **She snuggles deeper into the warmth, trying to wrap her body around it in her dreams. Then a sound broke through to her consciousness. Something between a grunt and a giggle. Her body feels heavier with sleep, and her eyes flutter open. She sees a bare expanse of skin… like someone's chest and belly. A male someone… who smells deliciously like charcoal and…**

 _ **Oh God!**_ **She freezes solid in panic and tries to take in her surroundings.**

 **Her face is pressed against Natsu's bare chest, and she is wrapped around his body completely. Somehow, she has managed to get one arm beneath his head, and the other is draped around his stomach and tucked into his open overcoat. Her legs are tangled up in his also.** _ **Thank God he is out cold… I must have sought out his body heat in my sleep! I never should have let them make me sleep next to him!**_

 **She attempts to carefully untangle herself, but doesn't realize at first that her hand is partially transformed into its natural state, hovering between flesh and pure fire. As it drags across his skin, he half-giggles half-groans.**

 _ **That didn't hurt him? Natsu… is ticklish…?**_

 **She glances up to see an adorable sleepy grin plastered to his face. She's so amused that she doesn't move in time. He rolls over and wraps his body around hers now, squeezing her like a giant body pillow and sighing in apparent contentment.** _ **Shit! What do I do now?!**_ **She transforms her hand back into its non-fire state, just to be safe.** _ **Burning the tent down at this point would be the opposite of helpful…**_

 **Somewhere in the back of her brain it begins to register how absolutely amazing his body feels pressed up against her. His strong arms make her feel soft, his scent is delicious, and the HEAT! His body must run at a temperature nearly as high as hers. Her hands begin skimming just lightly over the muscles in his back and she can't hold back her grin. His body also seems to be having the typical problem all males have in their sleep…** _ **Stop it!**_ **She screams at herself internally.** _ **If he wakes up, you're in big trouble!**_

 **Natsu nuzzles his face into her neck and starts to mumble… "smells… so good…..hmmm…"**

 _ **Oh shit!**_ **She can feel Natsu's hot breath on her throat and his lips begin to part.** _ **He's going to drink my fire magic and he's not even awake!**_ **Her eyes dart around the tent in panic. Ming is sound asleep above the head of her bed; over where her body should be. Then her sights land on a set of very angry feline eyes. Before she can even plead with Happy for help, he bites down on the flesh of Natsu's ankle – hard.**

" **Ouch!" Natsu flails towards the sting, knocking Gina back into her own sleeping spot and moving to rub at the small wound. "What the hell Happy!? What did you do that for?!"**

" **Keep it down!" Gray shouts face-down into his pillow. "Man guys… really?"**

 **Happy flies straight out of the tent without a word.**

" **What the hell is his problem?" Natsu mumbles, turning to face Gina.**

 **She gets up, and walks straight out of the other side of the tent.**

She feels like such a fool now. Her magic is raging inside her over the abuse she's been doling out, and now the incident with Natsu has it raging even worse just below the surface. There is no doubt left in her mind. The dragon slayer could literally drink her dry if he had a mind to. He hadn't meant to harm her, and she knew that. She was actually getting to know him through these travels despite the problems, as she had her other companions. And in the end, the little cat had saved her… _how odd._ She was sure Happy disliked her. She, however, had grown fond of their entire team.

 _But if she doesn't get herself under control, all this effort will be a complete waste!_ She punches the trunk of the tree she is standing beside in frustration.

"Hey," Gray's deep voice resounds from behind her with a chuckle. "I don't think the tree deserves your punches, even if they're pretty weak."

"I'm sorry," she mumbles, drawing her hands back to wrap around her body. She had stepped into this small clearing by the stream to get away from all of them for a few minutes.

"Seriously," he says, sauntering up to her with a smirk. "What's got you so down?"

"It's all just so stupid," she hisses as tears begin to stream from her cheeks. "I should be able to do better than this."

"Awww… come on," he protests, glancing up at the stars. "Don't beat yourself up about it." He obviously assumes she means her lack of skill with her false magic. "None of us could imagine being in your shoes. And nothing worth doing ever works overnight."

She is truly losing her grip on her magic; feeling as if she will burst into her natural flames at any moment. The tears flow free, and she muffles a sob with her hand.

"Oh come on…" Gray protests with a pained look. "Don't cry! Please…" He looks panicky, and suddenly reaches out and pulls her into a hug.

Gina gasps. The ice magic in his blood stings, like salt on a wound, but she doesn't pull away. _It's never done that before..._

"Shhh…" he mumbles in her ear. "It's alright. No need to cry, right? The girls are not allowed to cry. It's strict policy in Fairy Tail."

Then Gina notices something amazing… the ice magic is painful, but it's also working! She can feel the fire in her blood weakening under its full pressure. He doesn't seem affected by it.

 _I wonder if Natsu doesn't feel it either…?_ she wonders. _Maybe only I do…_

"Thank you, Gray," she chokes through her tears, wrapping her arms more fully around him and pressing her body against him as much as possible. She welcomes the sting as she feels her temperature dropping steadily.

"Holy cow, you're hot," Gray says. "I mean… whoa. That came out wrong. I was just sayin'…"

"I know what you meant," she chuckles with a sniff. "Don't worry about it Gray. Thank you for the hug."

"No problem," he says, leaning into the top of her head.

* * *

"Hey guys, we're ready to…" Natsu freezes mid-step.

Gray turns to the sound of his voice and makes eye contact with him before turning away, and blushing with a grimace. His arms are wrapped around Gina, and she's pressed up against his chest like some scene out of a romantic play. Her eyes look watery, like she's been crying. But her expression is… happy. Natsu feels a lead weight slide into the pit of his stomach.

 _Damn it…_ he thinks with a sigh.

"Hey, man we were just…" Gray calls out, as Gina turns to look at him with surprise.

"Dinner's ready," Natsu cuts him off with a shrug to his shoulders. "Come whenever you feel like it. It'll be waiting for you." He turns around and trudges back to camp.

* * *

"Awwww… shit," Gray mumbles, staring after Natsu.

"What's wrong?" Gina says, wiping the tears from her eyes, and beginning to turn around.

"Nothin'…" he lies.

He's seen the way Natsu watches Gina. The guy isn't very good at hiding how much he's crushing on the girl. Gray has to admit she's beautiful. Almost scary beautiful… but he isn't interested in her the way Natsu is. There's just something about her that rubs him the wrong way. Not really the way she acts… He gets along with her just fine, but it's something basic, almost instinctual. Like holding her right now… _It feels good, but wrong… Besides, Lucy would kill me._

He and Lucy have been dancing around each other for years. For a while it seemed like Natsu was more her type; but the two of them are way too similar to really work. Lucy is equally as beautiful as Gina, with her long blond hair, pretty eyes, and prettier figure. It's pretty ironic that they both use holding magic. Gray has never told Lucy how he feels about her, but he figures she knows. Everyone else at Fairy Tail certainly does.

 _But damn it this looks bad…_ he has to admit. He just wishes he knew what Gina really thinks of Natsu. The two of them are downright weird around each other. _Well… I shouldn't steer the guy in the wrong direction. He doesn't deserve that._

"Was that Natsu's voice?" Gina asked, still clinging to him.

"Sure was," Gray says, throwing his arms behind his head. "Sounds like they're waiting for us. You're not gonna break down in tears on me again are you?"

"No…" she says with a heavy sigh, stepping away from him. "I think I'm alright now. Thank you again." She starts to take steps towards the camp, but he reaches out and catches her by the wrist.

"Hold up a sec…" he says, trying to find the right words. "What's up with you and Natsu?"

"I don't know what you mean," she says, obviously dodging the question.

"Yeah you do," he chides her with his tone. "I honestly can't tell if you like the guy, or hate him."

"Does it have to be one or the other?" she says, narrowing her eyes at him as if in disgust.

"Well… normally I would say no, but," Gray struggles to explain, "You guys are way too intense around each other. Sometimes I think I've seen you watching him, like you're in pain or something. Then next thing I know you're scolding him like a little kid, and acting like you wish he'd get the hell away from you. I don't get it."

"Isn't everyone that way with Natsu?" she challenges him, and it does bring him up short. "You and Natsu get along that way. You're either fighting each other, or fighting someone else to prevent each other from getting hurt. Lucy and Erza seem to be that way too, right? Or am I reading it wrong?"

"Well… I…" he sputters and gives up. "Yeah, I guess you're right. He just brings out the extremes in people."

"I don't hate him," she finally clarifies. "I still don't know him very well, but he seems like he has a good heart. It wouldn't be right to hate someone like that."

"Sure… okay," Gray says even more confused than he started out. He doesn't stop her from walking away this time.


	4. Chapter 4 - Apologies

"Hey Gina!" Lucy shouts, running through the streets to catch her.

"Oh, hey Lucy," Gina says back with a smile. "What's up?"

"Where have you been hiding?" Lucy asks. "You disappeared as soon as we got back to the guild hall a few days ago and no one has even seen you! Did you decide you didn't like my apartment?"

"Oh, no, that's not it," Gina tries to reassure her. "I actually had to go out of town for a couple of days for a... personal thing." _I had to run around in my fire form so I didn't feel like I was going to die..._

"Oh, okay. Whew," Lucy laughs. "You had us all worried. Erza's been saying we pushed you too hard, Gray's been asking everyone we run into, and poor Natsu's just about beside himself."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she says, genuinely surprised. "I didn't really think you'd miss me."

"You must be joking, right," Gray says walking up behind her and placing a hand on her shoulder. She avoids flinching from the sting. "You ran with us for two whole weeks, and didn't die. You're one of the team now."

"Well, I'll try to give you a head's up next time then," she replies with a smile. Then, just for good measure, she reaches out and hugs him, cooling her body temperature in advance of running into Natsu.

"Uh... okay," Gray says awkwardly, holding his arms up in surprise.

"Hey guys..." Natsu's voice rings out from across the street, but it's missing its normal cheery tone. "Looks like you found her, huh? Shouldn't have been worried I guess."

"Yeah!" Lucy beams. "She just had to run out of town for a couple of days."

"Figures..." Natsu mumbles, turning around and heading for the guild hall.

"Hey man, where you going?" Gray hollers after Natsu. "I thought we were gonna..."

"Go on ahead without me," Natsu says without turning back. "I've got things I gotta get done too ya know."

"Whatever man..." Gray hisses.

"Gray my darling!" a new female voice rings out from behind them. "I wanted to bring you..."

The strange blue-haired girl catches sight of Gina, still wrapped around Gray, and chokes on her sentence. She looks frozen with a false grin and some kind of bento box in her hands.

 _Spooky..._ Gina thinks. Then she realizes the tone the woman was using, and the way their current position must look. _Oops... I SO hope this isn't a girlfriend I don't know about!_ Gina steps away from Gray quickly.

"Oh, hey Juvia," Gray says with an uneasy smile. "Have you met Gina yet?" He grabs Gina again, unexpectedly, and wraps his arm around her shoulders. His smile to her practically screams play-along.

 _Ohhhhhh... gotcha!_

"Hi, Juvia," Gina beams at her with a forced blush. She throws her arm around Gray's waist and nuzzles her face against his chest as if in embarrassment; ignoring the sting. She tries to lay the meek tone in her voice on extra thick. "It's nice to meet you."

"Gina..." Juvia chokes. "Gray... has a... girlfriend...?"

"Oh, no. Nothing like that," Gray chuckles easily, squeezing her shoulders gently. "Gina's just the new member of our team. We weren't looking or anything, but Master Makarov wanted her to be with us. You know how he gets..."

Gray leans his head down against hers and sniffs her hair subtly. Gina fights the urge to roll her eyes over his bad acting.

"Yeah, that's right," she keeps up the act with a bright grin, "Gray has been really kind. He's helping me become stronger, and helping make sure I don't get hurt. The missions Lucy, Natsu, Gray and Erza go on can be pretty intimidating."

Juvia turns around and walks away, saying dejectedly, "How can my Gray turn to another woman?"

 _Did she just say that out loud?_ Gina wonders in surprise.

Gina doesn't move from her spot at Gray's side, despite the chill really beginning to sink into her bones. She keeps the tight, false smile on her face and mumbles, "Mind explaining what the hell is going on?"

Suddenly, Lucy bursts out into roaring laughter. "Your face..." she squeaks. "Both of your faces are..." she begins laughing again, holding her sides and leaning against the light pole nearby them.

"Oh, lay off," Gray complains, his face falling back into its normal merely-irritated state. "Sorry, Gina. That was... super wrong of me to do. But I panicked."

"It's okay," Gina says, stepping back with a chuckle. "Stalker? Am I right?"

"Yeah, you could say that." He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "She just doesn't get it. She's a really nice girl, and a really great wizard. But I'm just not..."

"Into obsessed stalker girls who talk to themselves out loud?" Gina supplies with a grin. "It's okay. I get it. Feel free to use me as an excuse any time."

"Yeah, like that's not creepy..." Happy's voice suddenly chimes in from behind Lucy. Gina hadn't even realized he was there.

"Happy?" Gina says in surprise. "Why aren't you with Natsu?"

"Oh, yeah," Happy spits in an adorable tiny voice. "Like we have to be together _all_ the time right? Shows how much you know..."

"What's up with you, Grumpy?" Lucy asks.

"Nothing," Happy says, starting to fly away.

"Happy..." Gina says softly. "I actually wanted to talk to you. Would you mind flying around town with me today?"

"Me?" He asks, obviously surprised. He turns around and looks at her suspiciously. "Why me?"

"Why not you?" Gina challenges with a smile.

Gina can see both Gray and Lucy give him dirty looks, obviously expecting him to agree.

"Fine..." he mumbles. "Where are we going?"

* * *

"My, my, Natsu," Makarov says from his perch on the bar. "You look terrible. What's eatin' you boy?"

"I don't want to talk about it," he mumbles with his face plastered to the bar top, sipping a soda through a straw.

"That's pretty unusual for you," Makarov teases. "Must be girl problems."

"Awww..." Mirajane whines, coming over to pat him on the back of the head. "Is that true Natsu? What's wrong?"

Mirajane Strauss is the oldest of the 3 Strauss siblings. She is medium-height and busty, with long white hair that is usually pulled back into a high pony-tail atop her head. She has incredibly large, round, blue eyes in a slightly squarer face. She is well known for her figure - frequently posing as a swimsuit model for Sorcerer Weekly. She has a child-like voice and sweet, matronly personality; which is matched in intensity by her alter-personality when she uses her take-over magic to morph into her various she-devil forms.

"I said I don't want to talk about it," Natsu grumps at her, sitting up and folding his arms over his chest.

"Well, that's a shame," Mirajane says with a grin, "because I bet I could help you solve any girl problem that pops up. Is this about Lucy?"

"Lucy?" Natsu scoffs, raising an eyebrow. "You're kidding right? Lucy's my friend, Mira. Don't be weird."

"So this is about a girl who's not your friend?" Mira asks thoughtfully, biting her fingernail.

"I didn't say that!" Natsu shouts, squeezing his head in his hands in frustration.

"It's about Makarov's grandniece..." Cana chimes in, mumbling over her beer at the end of the bar. "Isn't that right, Natsu?"

Cana Alberona is sitting at her usual place at the bar. She can out-drink any man in the guild, including her father - Gildarts Clive. Today she's wearing her standard outfit of a teal bikini-top paired with brown capris and a pink belt. Her black guild mark is visible on her left lower-belly. Blue arm-cuffs adorn each of her biceps, with sets of glittery silver bangles on each wrist.

"Hey, all of you stay out of it!" Natsu shouts, hating how transparent he must be to them. "Besides. You guys are making it sound all wrong! I'm just frustrated that she hates my guts so much..." he feels his energy sap out like water down a drain, and rests his head back down on the bar. "I just don't get what I did wrong."

"Now hold on a minute young man," Makarov says with a mischievous grin. "Gina is important to me. If you are developing some kind of relationship with her, then I need to talk to you about..."

"She's Gray's girlfriend," Natsu retorts, "Not mine. You want to give someone a lecture, go chew him out."

Makarov looks positively stunned. "Gray's...?"

"Yeah, gramps. You really going deaf now?" Natsu replies, getting angry just talking about it. He sits up again and points his finger at the guild hall door. "Gray's girlfriend."

"Yeah, I saw that myself," Elfman chimes in with a laugh from the table behind them.

Elfman Strauss is the middle Strauss sibling. He has small black eyes, a strong square jaw, tall and spiky white hair, white side-burns, and a scar running from the middle of his right eye down his cheek. Like today, he prefers to wear a dark blue overcoat with a high collar, and blue slacks. His huge muscular form is leaned back with his feet kicked up, and a beer in his left hand.

"Pretty cute girl if you ask me, Natsu," Elfman continues with a smirk. "You should learn to step up next time, and show the woman you're a _real_ man. Gray has too many women to deal with already. I have to admit, I was surprised when I saw him with her over Lucy."

"Pretty hard to do when she won't even talk to me!" Natsu spits back. "Not that I care. If she loves frost face so much, then she can have him. She's so mean, they honestly deserve each other. Queen and King of the cold shoulder!"

"This doesn't make any sense..." Makarov mumbles almost to himself.

"But why are you so upset then Natsu?" Mirajane asks.

"Because he wants her, obviously," Cana replies for him.

"That's not true!" Natsu shouts in distress, feeling a blush creep over his cheeks. "Sure she's smokin' hot! So what?! So are most of the women in Fairy Tail."

"Amen to that," Elfman chimes in, raising his glass.

"She HATES me," Natsu continues, feeling his blood boil. "I have no idea what I did to piss her off, but she's gone out of her way since the day I met her to avoid me. I'm not stupid! I can see it. She shoves me, or jumps back any time I even get near her. She carries around this awful little weasel named Ming that smells like cat pee! She seems to love the fact that it gives me a royal headache to have him around. Lucy and Erza get along with her great. Gray's got his hands on her every time they're together now! And now Happy's pissed at me because somehow it's _my_ fault, and won't even talk to me about it! The whole team's gone freakin' crazy since that little she-devil showed up... and somehow _I'm_ the BAD GUY!"

"Oh, dear..." Mirajane mumbles with her hand over her mouth, looking distressed.

"Awww man," Natsu says, feeling even more terrible. "Mira... I didn't mean..."

"No, it's alright," she says, taking his hand gently. "I knew the she-devil crack wasn't about me."

"Oh, thank God," he says, letting his forehead drop to the bar top with a thud. "That's all I need to do is upset more people."

"Master... what's wrong?" Cana whispers loudly from the end of the bar.

Makarov looks up from a stern expression in surprise, and then rubs the back of his head and chuckles, "Oh nothing. Lost in thought like an old fool. You know me. I'm just going to go look something up..."

He bounces up from his perch much more spry than a man his age should be able to, and heads upstairs.

"I'm sorry about Gina," Mirajane says, drawing Natsu's attention back to her. "Have you tried talking to her about it?"

"I've tried a hundred times," he replies in defeat. "It's like she doesn't even notice me... or she's ignoring me on purpose."

"What about a gift?" she asks with a sudden smile.

"A gift?" he asks, confused. "Why would I buy her a gift?"

"Surest way to a woman's heart..." Cana chuckles.

"Well, she can't ignore you if you give her something nice," Mira insists. "What about flowers?"

"You'd better be careful of the advice you give him, Sis," Elfman says, strolling up to them at the bar and leaning on his elbow. "Gray may decide Natsu's after his girl. Are you?"

"No!" Natsu shouts, angry at the idea. "I wouldn't be like that to my friend! Even if he is a jerk... Besides, she's the _last_ person in the world I'd want to be with. She's mean... She's not even that great of a wizard!"

"Well... flowers are out then," Mirajane continues on, obviously stuck in her own plan. "What about a token? Maybe you could find one in one of the local magic shops. Something to say you support her, and still want to be her friend. Something that says you're sorry you hurt her feelings somehow."

"Yeah maybe..." he mumbles, sipping at his soda again.

* * *

Gina strolls up to a large tree in the forest growing next to a creek. She sits down next to it, and nuzzles Ming to wake him up. He opens his eyes from his perch on her breasts, sniffs the air, and stretches before running off up the tree excitedly. Happy flies up and lands on the grass beside her, crossing his arms defensively.

"I got you something," Gina says with a smile.

"What?" Happy says, looking up with a completely shocked expression.

Gina is still getting used to interacting with all of the exceeds at Fairy Tail. Even though she has lived a considerably long time, they are relatively new to her. She had never met one before returning here. They resemble small house cats with wings, and they talk just like nymphs or humans. Happy himself is blue with white wings, and he often wears a green scarf around his neck.

Gina reaches into her leather satchel and pulls out a small box. She sets it down in front of Happy and lifts the lid. The inside is filled with small stacks of fresh-cut, uncooked fish pieces, built into little towers and held together with toothpicks. It's a perfect merger of food and art.

"It's so pretty!" Happy squeals, beginning to drool.

"It's fresh tuna," Gina explains. "I got it during my trip to the coast, but the magic on the box has kept it the perfect temperature. I've heard you and Natsu talk about how much you like fish, but I remember you arguing that it was better this way."

Happy instantly crosses his arms again, and turns his face away. "What is this... some kind of a bribe?" he whines.

"It's actually meant as a Thank You gift," Gina explains sincerely.

"Huh?" Happy looks back to her, confused. "What for?"

"You..." Gina says wringing her hands. "Saved me the other night... from a lot of embarrassment," she admits with a blush. "I never got the chance to thank you properly."

"Oh, that," he says with a little glare. "I don't see how I was saving you. I was just angry at Natsu for... what he was doing..." Now even Happy begins to blush.

"Well, see..." Gina says, swallowing hard. "That wasn't exactly his fault..."

"It wasn't his fault that he was practically making-out with you in the middle of the tent?" Happy scoffs.

"Nope." She says with an embarrassed grin.

"You're either stupid... weird... or crazy," Happy declares.

"It's my fault," she tries to explain. "Natsu wasn't even awake."

"WHAT?!" Happy says, jumping up into the air and beginning to hover. "What do you mean he wasn't awake?!"

"Well..." she says confused. "You saw him, right? Did he look awake to you?"

"Well..." Happy says, matching her confusion. "I didn't really _watch_ you two you know. I just woke up 'cause I heard a weird noise..." he blushes again, "and when I turn around he's practically on top of you and about to... ugh... lick your neck or something weird like that."

"So why did you bite him?" Gina asks.

"Because he was being stupid!" Happy shouts again, with his whole little body shaking in anger. "You're so mean to him! You ignore him, push him around, and call him names! And he's still stupid enough to want to be your friend! Then I see him... ewwww... like that! I was mad! He shouldn't like you that way!"

"Oh..." Gina says, feeling terrible. It hurt to hear how badly Happy thinks she's treating Natsu. _It must seem like that to everyone... but I'm just trying to keep my distance._ "I'm sorry, Happy. I don't... I don't mean to be so hard on him. It's just... he makes me nervous. I get mean when I'm nervous."

"Why would Natsu make you nervous?" Happy scoffs.

"A lot of reasons," she hedges. "But the incident in the tent sincerely wasn't his fault. It was mine."

Happy just stares her down, waiting for her to explain.

"I woke up because I heard a weird noise too..." she tries to explain through her blush. "I guess... I must have rolled up against Natsu in my sleep because he was warm. I'm pretty sure the noise I heard was him squirming because he's... ticklish maybe? I was shocked... but honestly _I_ was the one using _him_ like a giant body pillow. I didn't move in time and he rolled over... and then I was trapped... and I panicked. I didn't want to wake him up! I was so embarrassed... then he was mumbling something about something smelling good... and then I thought he was going to bite me or something! Then I saw that you were awake, and you woke him up and saved me." By the end she was speaking terribly fast, and she was surprised her cheeks didn't turn to real flame. "Thank you."

Happy bursts out laughing, and rolls in the grass. Gina just waits for his laughter to die down, feeling even more depressed.

"So he was trying to _eat_ you in his sleep?!" Happy shouts in glee. "That's Natsu for you! Wait..." he suddenly looks at her seriously. "That makes sense... in a really weird way..."

"Why?" Gina asks, suddenly holding her breath. _Does Happy know?_

"He said you smelled like food."

"Food?" she asks.

"Yeah," Happy says, sitting up and pointing at Ming. "That's why Natsu hates Ming being around so much. He told me that when he first met you, you didn't have Ming, and you smelled really good. He said you smelled like chocolate and coals... or something weird like that. You've had Ming with you ever since, and Natsu says _he_ smells like cat pee – which I find insulting. Natsu says he hates that Ming covers up what you really smell like, but that at least he could track you from a hundred miles away."

Gina feels her spine stiffen. She didn't realize Ming would give Natsu a stronger tracking advantage.

"So he thinks I... smell like chocolate?" Gina clarifies.

"He said you smell a lot better than that," Happy says, rolling his eyes, "but I stopped paying attention."

"I'm sorry I've been so mean to him," Gina says sincerely. "I know he doesn't deserve it."

"So you'll try to be nicer to him?" Happy asks defiantly.

"Yes," she says with a smile. "I promise. And thank you again for saving me, even if you didn't mean to."

"No problem," Happy says with a grin, picking up her gift and beginning to eat. Then he mumbles with his mouth full, "This fish is great!"


	5. Chapter 5 - Party of Four

"Ugh…" Gina hears Lucy groan, "I can't believe I'm even considering this job. But if I don't make some rent money soon, we'll all be sleeping on the street."

Lucy and Gina are sitting at the bar in the guild hall, while Mirajane is organizing the new jobs which have come in.

"Job?" Gina asks, peering over at the flyer in Lucy's hands.

"Yeah," Lucy says, handing it over, "Take a look for yourself. It seems a little weird."

The new, crisp piece of paper has bold text which declares, "THREE WIZARDS WANTED FOR ENTERTAINMENT AT CHILDREN'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION. MUST INCLUDE FIRE BREATHER. $100,000 JEWEL."

"The price you mean?" Gina asks. It seemed awfully high for a birthday party.

"Yeah," Lucy sighs. "The whole thing seems fishy, but I'm desperate."

"Looks like Natsu would have to go with you," Gina mumbles. She knows immediately what she wants to ask, but hesitates.

"Yeah, that'll be easy," Lucy laughs. "I can get Natsu to go on just about any job. The trick is to keep him from destroying their house before we leave."

"Is Natsu… good with children?" Gina finally dares. She catches Mirajane's look of interest from behind the bar, whose movements become slower as she starts paying attention. "I mean… if he's not this job could be a real disaster."

"Natsu?" Lucy says, holding her chin in thought. "I never really thought about it, but yeah. He seems really good with them. Probably because he's such a big kid himself."

"Well, and there is Happy to consider," Mirajane adds casually from the sidelines.

"As the third wizard?" Gina asks.

"No…" Mira laughs, like it's the funniest question in the world. "I mean Natsu raised him. So naturally he has some experience."

Gina can just about feel her jaw resting on the bar top from shock. She tries to snap herself out of it and asks, "What do you mean he _raised_ Happy? I thought they were more like siblings."

"Oh no," Mira steps over, fully entering the conversation now. "Natsu found Happy's egg in the woods before he was even hatched. He and my little sister, Lisanna, helped hatch the egg. She used to tease Natsu that she was the mommy and he was the daddy, and that made Happy their little one to take care of. They were pretty young, but it was cute for a couple of kids."

"Oh…" Gina says, trying to wrap her brain around the new and strange information. "Where is Lisanna now? Are she and Natsu still…?"

"Oh," Mira says, straightening up and turning to wave to someone in the main room. "I didn't realize you and Lisanna hadn't met yet. Lisanna! Come meet Gina!"

"What's up Mira?" a soft feminine voice calls. Gina turns around to see an incredibly beautiful young woman with short-cropped white hair strolling up to the bar with a radiant smile.

"This is Aegina Asterope," Mira says gesturing with a smile. "She prefers to go by Gina. She's Makarov's grand niece, and she's been running with Natsu's team for a couple of weeks now."

"Oh, hi," Lisanna replies, suddenly looking slightly nervous. "Natsu mentioned you, and I think I've seen you in passing, but I didn't realize you were who he was talking about. It's nice to meet you."

Gina feels insecure just looking at Lisanna. She's very beautiful, and she and Natsu obviously have a long history – one that apparently includes raising Happy of all things. _I wonder how close they are now…?_

"Hi," Gina attempts to say warmly. "Mira was explaining to me that you and Natsu raised Happy together. I'm ashamed to admit that even though we've been running on the same team, I haven't talked with him that much. I hadn't realized he had a girlfriend, but I'm very happy to meet you…"

"Oh, no!" Lisanna suddenly chokes with a shocked expression and a blush. "Natsu and I aren't dating. Mira, what on Earth have you been telling her?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Mira replies with a slightly-too-innocent smile, "I didn't mean to imply that Lisanna and Natsu were an item. They have been friends for many years, but they've never dated."

Now Gina really feels confused. "Oh… well, that's his loss then."

"Don't worry about it," Lisanna says fidgeting nervously. "It's my own fault. I had a big crush on Natsu when we were little, and I used to tease him about marrying him all the time. A lot of people in the guild seemed to think that would have actually happened if I hadn't died."

"Excuse me?" Gina chokes.

"Oh, gosh I'm sorry again," Lisanna says looking distressed. She then proceeds to tell Gina the long story of her incident with her older brother Elfman, her journey into the parallel world of Edolas, and the guild's belief that she had died. "It was really hard on my brother, Mira and Natsu. I still feel bad about it. A lot of people here at the guild seemed to think when I came home that Natsu and I would wind up together like always, but it just didn't turn out that way."

"Do you have feelings for him?" Gina dares to ask. She definitely wasn't going to get in the middle of a mess like that. It simply wasn't worth the headache; especially if she was only pretending to investigate the dragon slayer to pacify her people.

"Ummm…" Lisanna replies softly with a smile. "I still think he's really cute, but no. He's my friend, and I will always cherish that, but honestly the interest in a relationship was always more from my side anyway and it was a friendship kind of love. When I came back from Edolas… it just feels different now. I've changed a lot. Natsu has changed a lot too, but he's still Natsu. I know when he finds the right woman, we'll all… be able to see it. She'll capture his attention in a way no one has managed so far. He's just not… found her yet I guess."

Gina didn't feel reassured by the response at all. Lisanna seemed satisfied with letting her interest fade away, but what if Natsu didn't feel the same way? He hadn't mentioned Lisanna in their travels, but she hadn't given him much of a chance either. Gina would have to be careful.

"Anyway," Mira suddenly cuts back in with a laugh, "We only ended up on this topic because Gina and Lucy are considering going on a job with Natsu soon to take care of some kids, and Gina asked if Natsu was good with children. I mentioned that Natsu helped hatch Happy's egg, and the two have been inseparable ever since."

"That's for sure," Lisanna says with a true dazzling smile. "Those two will always be together!"

"That's sweet," Gina smiles.

"Yeah," Lucy scoffs, chiming in. "The two biggest trouble-makers I know. Would you be willing to go with us, Gina?"

"What? When?" She asks, trying to bring her mind back around to the flyer.

"Tomorrow," Lucy clarifies. "For the job. It says we need three wizards, and Gray and Erza are already out on that job with the weird snow demon. We need a third person."

"What about Happy?" Gina asks, not wanting to break up their team.

"Most people don't count Happy, even if they should," Lisanna clarifies. "It's a cat thing."

"Oh," Gina says, wringing her hands. _Should I…? Gray won't be around to cool my temperature if Natsu gets too close. But it would be the BEST chance to see him with children!_ She simply couldn't pass it up. "I would love to. I love kids."

"Great!" Lucy beams, "Things are looking up already."

* * *

Natsu stares at the shelves of the magic shop, hoping something will have a sign saying something helpful like 'Buy This For Gina.' He'd been in here for what felt like hours. He'd seen a couple of keys, but they were just little silver ones he was pretty sure Lucy already had. Besides, the entire reason he'd come in here was to buy an apology present for Gina like Mirajane had suggested.

"Gah, I hate this!" he shouts, pulling at his hair.

"Natsu!" Happy's voice suddenly rings out from behind him. "What are you doing in here?"

"Happy?" he asks, turning around, and suddenly feeling overwhelmingly embarrassed.

"Are you blushing?!" Happy says with his mouth hanging open in shock.

"I am not!" he shouts, blushing even harder. "I was just… lookin' for somethin'."

"Are you interested in that token young man?" the elderly shopkeeper asks, tottering up behind them.

"What?" Natsu asks, looking down. "Whoa!" He hadn't even seen it and he'd been standing here forever. _Geez…._ Now that he looked at it, it was a fire magic token. _Weird._

"Token?" Happy asks, rolling his eyes. "Seriously, Natsu, you're buying her presents now?"

"Oh! So it's for a young lady…" the shopkeeper chimes in with a smile. "I'll gift wrap it for you then."

"No, you don't need to…" Natsu feels so disoriented, but the man is already gone back behind the counter. Finally he responds to Happy with a dejected, "It's not what it looks like, okay?"

"Sure," Happy mumbles.

"So… you gonna keep ignoring me for it?" Natsu challenges. He hates that Happy has completely ignored him since the last mission. He hasn't done anything to deserve it. "Why did you even follow me in here?"

"Well…" Happy mumbles with a glare. "She's not so bad. I guess. But I still don't see why you're buying her a present."

"She's not so bad?!" Natsu explodes. "You've ignored me forever, and now you just come back with a 'she's not so bad'! What the hell, man?!"

"Do you want me to hate her?" Happy shouts back.

"Well, no… I just…" Natsu says, shrugging his shoulders. "Geez… make up your mind."

"I still don't like the way she treats you," Happy clarifies. "But she promised to be nicer."

"Really?" Natsu says, feeling a jolt of shock. "Did she say what I did wrong?"

"Not really," Happy says with a shrug. "She just said you make her nervous."

"Nervous?" Natsu asks, scratching his head. "Why?"

"I don't know."

"Well, that's real helpful. Thanks!" Natsu says throwing his arms up with disgust. _Now I'll never know what I did wrong…_

"What's with the present, anyway?" Happy asks, raising his nose in the air.

"I don't know," Natsu admits. "Mira said it was a good idea. Said I could give it to her and see if she would talk to me for a few minutes. Then maybe I could figure out what I did wrong. It's a stupid idea…" He wants to curse as he feels himself blushing again.

"Actually, it's a great idea," Happy says as if he's surprised. "It's amazing how a bribe can bring people together."

* * *

"You ready, Gina?" Natsu shouts.

"Yeah, almost," she mumbles, stepping out of the bathroom into the main living area.

"Whoa…" Happy sighs. "You look like some kind of fairy princess!"

Gina had found an old dress in a shop in town for just a couple dozen jewel. It is made of red satin, with a huge bell skirt and tiny, puffy bell sleeves. It has a high-collared neckline, and the back is windowed with shimmering red-orange tulle. The tulle also covers the rest of the dress's satin, causing a shimmering effect when she moves. The dress appeals to her because it resembles fire, and now she almost wonders if that was a mistake looking at Natsu's curious stare.

"Well, yeah, that's the idea," she says with a laugh, brushing down the sides of the big skirt.

"Why are you trying to look like a princess?" Natsu asks, wrinkling his nose as Ming bursts out of the bathroom behind her and skitters up her skirts. Ming chooses to lie around her neck like a big fur ruff.

"It's a birthday party for a small child," she explains, "and the flyer specifically requested a fire-breather. I'm guessing things will go over better if we arrive in costume."

"What if it's a party for a little boy, huh?" Natsu challenges with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh come on," she chides him, skittering over to poke him in the ribs. "What little boy doesn't want to be the one to save the princess? After all, we do come with our own dragon in tow." She winks at Natsu mischievously.

"Oh…" Natsu says, rubbing the back of his head and blushing slightly. "Yeah I guess you have a point. Hey, uh… Gina, I wanted to…"

"Hey guys!" Lucy's voice interrupts as she bursts into the living room in her traveling outfit. "We'd better catch the train or we'll be late."

"Oh, right," Gina says, hurrying out of the apartment behind her. "Come on, Natsu. Let's go."

* * *

"Oh, dear…" Gina mumbles. "Lucy what's wrong with Natsu?"

"Oh…" Happy replies with a laugh. "You haven't seen this yet huh? Natsu has terrible motion sickness."

"Ugh… make it stop…" Natsu moans. He is lying on the bench opposite of Lucy and Gina, as Happy and Ming perch on top of Gina's leather satchel.

"He gets sick on anything that moves," Lucy says with a roll of her eyes. "Trust me. Our mighty dragon slayer has been rendered useless at the worst possible times – literally mid-battle – because of his weak stomach." Lucy leans forward and pinches Natsu's cheeks with a slightly evil grin on her face.

"Oh," Gina sighs. "That must be awful."

"Yeah," Lucy says, leaning back in the booth next to her. "Usually when Erza travels with us, she puts him out of his misery by knocking him out."

"Good grief," Gina mumbles. "That seems a bit extreme."

"Actually, he seems to appreciate it," Lucy laughs. "I guess it's better than the nausea."

Gina stands up and crosses over to the bench Natsu is lying on across from them. She takes a token from her pocket and flips it into the air, slapping it down onto her wrist.

"What's that?" Lucy asks with curiosity.

"A sleep magic token," Gina fibs.

In reality the token is nothing but a clever ruse. It holds no magic at all. Instead, Gina pulls Natsu's head and upper body into her lap, tucking his face into the crook of her shoulder and arm. Natsu tries to protest and she mentally apologizes, realizing she is still covered in Ming's scent despite his perch on her bag. Natsu looks so ill she can't stand it anymore.

 _This will be better than a blow to the head or gut…_ she thinks.

Gina lets a tiny, nearly undetectable level of her own magic slip free through her fingertips, and she rubs them gently against Natsu's temple. His eyes change from dizzy, to confused, and then quickly shut as he is overcome with sleep. Sleep magic is a natural defense mechanism for all nymphs. It comes as naturally as breathing, but the magic itself is relatively weak. It allows the nymph to sedate an opponent or predator when threatened, and slip away before consciousness is regained. Without holding him like this, Natsu will regain consciousness in a matter of minutes. There is still 45 minutes left in their train ride.

"Wow…" Lucy breathes. "You can really just put him to sleep like that?"

"It wouldn't work if he were actively fighting me," Gina tries to explain. "His own magic and stubbornness are much too strong for that. This is a pretty weak skill, and I'm even weaker. But if I hold him like this for the whole train ride… it should keep him asleep."

"Whoa…" Happy says, standing to his feet. "You would do that for Natsu?"

"Despite what you may believe about me, Happy," Gina retorts with a grimace. "I don't like to see him suffer. He's a member of your team, just like Lucy, Erza or Gray. I may not be good for much, but this is something I can help with."

"Our team," Lucy says with a smile.

"What?" Gina asks, confused.

"You said your team, like you weren't a part of it now," Lucy explains. "But it's our team."

* * *

 **Natsu is having the most irritating dream of his life. He is sitting at this banquet of food; the biggest he's ever seen. It's filled with chocolates, meats, and the best fire he's ever smelled. When he reaches out to take a bite out of something, it runs away from him.**

 _ **Gah!**_ **he screams inside his head, trying again.** _ **What's the deal?! Why give me all this food if I can't eat it?! This is a nasty trick!**_

 **All of a sudden, Ming shows up on the table.**

" **What do you want you little rat?!" Natsu shouts at him.**

 **Ming chitters with anger in response and begins scooping up all the food and eating it himself.**

" **Hey!" Natsu objects. "Cut that out! I want some!"**

 **But the little devil just dances and laughs, and the food keeps skittering further and further away from him.**

* * *

Gina watches Natsu's face contort with irritation in his sleep. Lucy left with Happy a long time ago to go walk the train, so she is free to scrutinize the dragon slayer more closely. Despite the amount of time she has spent at Fairy Tail, she's tried to keep her distance from Natsu. He's entirely too observant for her preference, even if he does have a tendency to be a bit dense. This is the first time she can remember simply being able to sit and study him.

 _My smell must be irritating him…_ she thinks a bit sadly.

She wonders if it is Ming's lingering scent, or her own which she was using Ming to mask. Natsu turned towards her in his sleep a few moments ago, and is now pressing his face against the fabric over her chest. He's wrapped his arms around her as if he's trying to snuggle deeper into a large pillow. She doesn't mind, so she's just let him be. She remembers Happy saying that Natsu thought she smelled like food… an interesting dilemma. She also knows that when he wrinkles his nose like he is doing now it usually means he is displeased, and he's usually directing a glare at Ming.

Now that Gina can study his features more closely, she traces her fingers from his temples to his jaw and back. He is truthfully very handsome; apparently even more so when at rest. She wonders what it would be like to wake up in the morning and see his face on a pillow beside her. She hasn't taken a lover in years, and she misses that feeling of peacefulness and content. Suddenly, Natsu's stomach growls loudly, and Gina has to stifle a giggle.

 _Well, I guess he smells me too…_ she muses.

The thought of Natsu eating something other than the food humans eat is not what unnerves Gina. As a nymph, Gina is fed and fueled by love and affection. She can eat human food as well, and sometimes it tastes pleasing, but she gets very little benefit from it. Instead, most nymphs subsist off of romantic relationships. It doesn't boil down to sex, as some people believe. A sexual relationship is frequently inevitable and even desirable, but it comes down to whether or not that person truly loves and cares for you. A relationship that is complete lust is the equivalent of a low-to-no-calorie meal. A relationship that is truly loving and dedicated can sustain a nymph for months or years, even if the relationship is never physical.

Gina has been without a romantic relationship at all for more than seven years now. She knows it is the equivalent of starving herself to death, but she can't stand living that way anymore. _Besides,_ she figures, _at my current strength I can last at least a few more years…_ Every time she draws love and affection from someone, she depletes their energy. In a non-romantic and short-term relationship, like a friend or guild mate, they won't even feel it. In a romantic relationship, however, she can see the physical effect on them over time. She hates it.

It would be different if she were involved with a fire wizard. A fire wizard could draw power from her in equal or greater measure than she would draw in affection. That is why nymphs are such a secretive group. Hundreds of years ago, when they hadn't hidden themselves among humans, they had been hunted by wizards and used as magical batteries. It had devastated their numbers and driven them into hiding. Now, they live in secret. They often seek out positions of service, like hospitals or orphanages, where they can form relationships to draw affection and strength from.

Most nymphs cannot bear children. Only one nymph is ever born among hundreds with the ability to carry on the species – a Nymph Queen; but nymphs are dependent upon humans to survive. All nymphs are born female, and partner with humans for most of their relationships. Only a male wizard of matching elemental magic is capable of partnering with a queen to produce offspring.

Gina had the unfortunate luck of being born a queen. As the numbers of her people remains small, anyone born with this ability is treated with a velvet glove; but also expected to fulfill that role as a duty to their people. Gina hated the idea that she could be forced into such a life. She had been raised from birth with the expectation that she would pair herself with a powerful fire wizard, and set about having children for the rest of her natural life – which would be hundreds of years. Her partner's life span would be sustained by her magic to match her own.

Many, many years ago – when she was only 20 years old – Gina had refused to go along with her people's wishes after an unfortunate event with their latest suitor. She told them she demanded to see the world and learn more of magic. They raged and fumed at her irresponsible attitude, and she left her home determined to make it on her own. Eventually, her people offered to pay for her travels if she agreed to meet and consider fire wizards along the way. She agreed, and has traveled much of the world since that time.

She hadn't exactly lied… she tells herself yet again. She always meets at least one fire wizard at the guilds she visits, but she never takes one as a lover and never allows herself to even consider it. To do so would be to accept them as her Sire. In the past, she would instead partner with wizards of other forms, and observe from a distinct distance. Eventually, that plan failed as well.

She had woken one night, seven years ago, to her lover choking in his sleep. She had been suppressing her true form for many years, and sometimes she would lose her tight grip on it when at rest. She had caught their room on fire, and he was choking on the smoke. She managed to drag his big body from the room, and he lived with only minor burns, but Gina had finally had enough. She cut herself off from romantic relationships entirely after that point, and has survived since then on only the small amount of love and affection she can glean through companionship from other guild members. Wizards aren't generally the "warm fuzzy" type, so it usually isn't very much, but she still prefers this weak manner of life to what she has known before.

Gina runs her hand gently down Natsu's arm, pausing shortly to look closer at the guild mark on his shoulder. She smiles to herself, remembering how he constantly criticizes Gray for running around without a shirt on, even though he doesn't wear one beneath his own overcoat and frequently goes without. When considering Natsu's physique, the overcoat truly doesn't hide much anyway. Natsu squirms with a grin, and she suddenly remembers discovering that he is ticklish. Feeling suddenly mischievous, she slips her fingers inside the edges of his coat and runs them along his exposed sides. He squirms and thrashes for a few moments, and just before he regains consciousness she slips her fingers back up to his temples to put him under again.

 _Serves you right for being so blasted cute…_ she thinks with a grin.

* * *

Natsu awakes to the sound of a loud train whistle and a hissing noise.

 _Whoa… I feel so… drained,_ he thinks. _Where am I?_

His hip hurts where it is pressing into a hard surface, but his upper body is propped up against something wonderfully warm and soft. It also smells amazing. When he opens his eyes, he is staring at some pretty white buttons on red and orange fabric. He looks up in confusion, without moving, and freezes in shock.

 _Holy crap! Gina? How did I…?_

Trying to take better stock of his situation, he realizes that he is lying on top of her. _No wait… that's not right…_ he is lying across her lap and in her arms. His head and neck are tucked into the crook of her arm as she strangely seems to be holding him, and he realizes with embarrassment that his face is pressed up against her chest and his arms are wrapped around her middle. She is asleep, with her head resting against the glass of the window next to them. Her other hand is… weirdly enough… threaded through his hair with her arm draped down his neck and side.

 _Oh man…_ he thinks in panic. _What the hell happened? I don't remember any of this! How the hell do you wake up in the arms of a beautiful woman and NOT KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED?!_

He hears Lucy's familiar laugh approaching in the distance, and shuts his eyes, pretending to still be asleep. He doesn't know what else to do.

"Oh, my gosh!" Lucy whispers with a giggle, much closer now. "Look at that! Aren't they so cute?!"

 _Aww… man,_ he internally moans. He is never going to hear the end of this. Gray is seriously going to give him a beating – or try to anyway – if he finds out. Then he hears the distinct click of a camera. _Oh no, you didn't!_ But Gina stirs before he can react.

"Oh…" Gina says sleepily, sitting up a little straighter and pulling his body tighter against her as she moves. "Are we there already? I… I must have fallen asleep. I'm sorry."

He feels her hand leave his hair quickly, and his stomach flutters at the feeling of being pressed close to her soft body. He fights with everything in him to appear completely asleep.

"That's okay," Lucy replies much too cheerily. "Looks like Natsu stayed asleep anyway. How long does that sleep magic last? Do you think we'll have to carry him?"

"No," Gina replies, sounding slightly more awake. "The magic doesn't last long at all, and I'm not sure when I dozed off. I'm amazed he's not up and bouncing around yet, honestly. It should just take another minute or two. Should I help you get the bags?"

"Sure," Lucy says.

Natsu feels Gina lift him just enough to slide out from under him and then sets his head gently down on the bench. He hears Lucy and Gina's footsteps leave, but is still too freaked out to move.

"Oh, come on," Happy's voice cuts in from above him. "I know you've been awake the whole time, Natsu."

He pops one eye open to peer at his friend, and hisses, "Pipe down, loud mouth. You wanna blow my cover?"

"Oh, please," Happy says with a roll of his eyes, landing beside him. "The girls are gone getting the bags."

Natsu sits up quickly and begins whisper-shouting at Happy. "What the hell happened man?! One minute I think I'm gonna puke my guts out, and the next I wake up in Gina's lap! She was… I mean, she… just give me some damn answers, little guy or I'm gonna…!"

"Calm down," Happy retorts. "Gina felt bad because you were so sick, so she used sleep magic on you. She said she had to keep using it the whole time the train was moving or it would wear off too quick and you'd be sick again."

"She did?" Natsu asks in wonder. He smiles at the thought that she might actually care about him, or at least not hate him.

"Yeah," Happy chirps. "Watching her sit there and rub your temples was boring, so Lucy and I went to go walk the train for a while. We just pulled into the station. How long have you been pretending to sleep like that, you big pervert?"

"Hey, I just woke up when the train whistle blew," he says defensively, putting his hands up in surrender. "It took me a second to figure out what the hell was going on."

"Sure…" Happy huffs.

"Hey, Natsu!" Lucy's voice calls from the end of the car. "We need to get off before the train pulls out!"

"I'm comin!" he yells, jumping up to join her. "Where's Gina?"

"She's already outside," Lucy says with a grin. "We should go join her."

"Right…"


	6. Chapter 6 - Birthday Party

"This can't possibly be the right house, can it?" Lucy asks with a tremble in her voice, looking up at the huge mansion.

"It's the right address..." Gina mumbles, staring at the crumpled piece of paper instead.

"Well, let's go then," Natsu says impatiently, pressing the intercom button on the big gate.

"Yes?" A crackly voice comes through the intercom. "Who are you?"

"We're the wizards you requested, from the Fairy Tail guild," Gina replies. "And we've brought the fire breather that was requested as well."

"Oh, excellent!" the voice booms. "Please come in!"

Gina, Happy, Natsu and Lucy all walk through the gate and up the incredibly long walkway in front of the house. As Gina reaches for the knocker on the massive front door, it swings open, and an incredibly tall butler stands behind it with a polite smile.

"This way please..." his deep bass voice beckons. "I wasn't aware our flyer included the theme for the party, but one of you seems well prepared."

"What, you mean the princess getup?" Natsu says in a disbelieving tone, glancing at Gina's dress.

Gina winks at him, and replies to the man's statement with, "Well, the flyer didn't actually say sir, but with the note about the fire breather I wondered if a story with a dragon and a princess might be in order."

"Well, at least you're clever," the butler laughs. "That should keep the children entertained. It turns out that you're precisely right. Now, if you'll please step right through here."

"Holy...!" Natsu begins, but Lucy covers his mouth as her own eyes open wide.

They've entered a massive garden with a small castle, about the size of a cottage, built in the center. There appears to be a small stage at the base of it, with a smaller stage built higher upon one of its towers. But the most amazing sight... is the 50 or more children running around in front of it waving toy swords and stick-horses. It seems to be a fairly even split of little boys and girls.

"This is a convention, not a birthday party," Lucy squeaks. "I've never seen this many kids in one place in my entire life!"

"That is so cool!" Natsu shouts, looking at Happy and pointing at the castle. "These kids have their own castle!"

Gina hides a smile at his glee. "When would you like us to begin?" she asks the butler.

"The show is scheduled to start in about an hour," the man replies. "I will show you where you can prepare."

* * *

"How the heck am I supposed to put this thing on?!" Natsu shouts in frustration, tumbling over disoriented in the big costume.

"You're supposed to wear the costume, Natsu," he hears Gina laugh before her face appears through the mass of fabric, "not engage in battle with it."

 _She's so pretty..._ he thinks, distracted briefly. Then he remembers waking up on the train in her arms and he begins to blush. "How am I supposed to know how it fits?" he quips. "It doesn't even look like a real dragon."

"How would you know?" Gina laughs, pulling his arms through some sort of weird sleeves.

"I was raised by one, that's how!" he replies angrily. "Igneel looked nothing like this! He was huge and powerful. Not bubbly and... clumsy."

"Igneel..." Gina mumbles, and she drops his sleeves for a moment. "Are you honestly saying you were raised by the fire dragon? I thought you were raised at Fairy Tail."

"Wait, do you know him?" Natsu says, gripping her shoulders as best he could through the rags, and feeling his magic spark again. _Why does it keep doing that?_ he wonders.

"Uh... Of course I don't know him," Gina says, glancing away at the floor and pulling away again as if afraid. God he hates that! "How would I know him? But who hasn't heard of Igneel the dragon?"

"Oh," Natsu says, disappointed. "I've been at Fairy Tail since I was pretty young, but Igneel is the one who raised me. He's also the one who taught me my dragon slayer magic. Not everyone can learn this stuff you know."

"I believe you," she says with wide eyes, then clears her throat. "But these children don't know what a real dragon is like, so you'll just have to do your best to show them, despite the costume."

"But Natsu..." Lucy chimes in from the sidelines. "Please don't scare them."

"Oh come on," he gripes at her lack of faith. "How mean do you think I am?"

"Wow, that was fast," Gina says with surprise. "I didn't even think you brought a costume, Lucy."

Natsu turns to see what Gina is talking about, and notices that Lucy is now wearing a pretty blue and white pants suit.

"Oh, I didn't," Lucy grins, "I just had Virgo bring me this amazing outfit from the celestial world. I'll send it back when the party's over."

* * *

Gina stands on the edge of the big mansion's inner balcony, watching Natsu play with the children. He has two children dangling off each arm, and two off of each leg. He is tromping around roaring and blowing fire while they squeal with delight. Meanwhile, Lucy and Happy are being chased around by some of the kids with wooden swords.

Their play completed a couple of hours ago. Gina had been the princess, Lucy had been the narrator and occasional prince, and Natsu – as the mighty dragon – had completely derailed the entire plot. He insisted with a fury that a dragon would never imprison a princess, but would defend her instead. In the end, Lucy had called on Taurus to serve as some kind of Minotaur monster threatening the princess, and Natsu the Dragon had saved the day.

 _Oh, my God... I'm way too hot,_ Gina frets while rubbing at her arms. She'd spent hours next to Natsu, and nearly an hour holding him on the train before that, and her fire magic insisted on sparking every time he touched her. The spark was her fire magic reacting to his own in a desperate attempt to flare itself back to life. _It shouldn't be this sensitive... I must be much weaker than I thought! And Gray isn't here... I can't use him to cool down. What am I going to do? Bursting into flames will definitely frighten the kids._

"Gina...?" a grizzled old voice calls from behind her.

"Yes?" she asks, turning around.

The couple who hired them for this party, and who owns the sprawling house, stand behind her and are pushing along an elderly man in a wheelchair.

"Do you know this girl, Dad?" The man from the couple asks.

"Why, yes, I think I do..." the elderly man lets out with a crackly laugh. "Gina, it's me... Gavin."

Gina freezes. _Gavin?_ Her mind feels stuck in denial, but the longer she looks at his features the less she can deny it. Gavin Hardbrook sits withered and ancient before her, but his smile is as spirited as the last time she'd seen it; nearly 70 years ago.

"Gavin... Hardbrook," she mumbles.

"David," Gavin says, patting the man's hand on his shoulder. "I haven't seen this young lady in quite some time, but I would like the chance to catch up. Would you give us a moment please?"

"Of course," the woman by David's side responds instead. "Come along dear."

As they leave the hallway, Gina feels tears flood her eyes. She crosses over to him and kneels down in front of his wheelchair. She runs her hands along the wrinkled skin of his face, and fights the urge to burst into tears. _How can you have changed so much?_

Gavin had been her first lover. She had been a mere 21 years old, and had just left her family home months before. He wasn't even a wizard, but he had been handsome and charming. He'd had long, black hair and devilishly green eyes; both now faded with time. He'd been tall and lean; and more spirited than anyone she'd ever known. He had been 25 years old then, which meant he must be more than 95 now. It was amazing he was still alive.

"Tell me, beautiful girl," Gavin's aged voice whispers. "I know as I look at you that you are the same young woman I tangled with all those years ago, but my head tells me I must truly be going senile. Have I already died, and simply failed to notice?"

"No," she replies with her voice tight. "I am Aegina Asterope; the woman you remember, and you are not dead."

"But..." he whispers, lifting her face to look him in the eye. "How is that possible? The woman I knew would be more than 90 years old. You... you haven't aged a day. Is it an illusion?"

"It is no illusion," she says, wiping her eyes, "and I have not aged. I'm sorry, Gavin, but I was never completely honest with you about who I was. I cannot be now either."

"But now is all I have Gina," he says with a laugh. "I'll be gone any day now. I can feel it in these old bones, and my children can too."

"Is David your son?" she asks.

"Yes," he says with a smile. "He's done me proud. This whole place belongs to him. It's his grandson's fifth birthday today."

"Grandson..." Gina mumbles. "Congratulations."

"What about you?" Gavin asks. "You were so angry about your family pressuring you for children. I must admit, I had hoped to turn you to their way of thinking back then, but I suppose it wasn't meant to be. Did you ever give them the children they wanted so badly?"

"No," Gina says, trying to rub the heat from her arms. "I never have."

"Well, that is a shame," he mutters. "You would have had beautiful children. Have you found love at least?"

She can feel the old familiar love and affection radiate from him and begin seeping into her bones, and she steps back quickly. He is so old. She could steal all the strength he has left.

"Wait!" he calls out. "Please, don't go. I'm sorry. I should not have asked you."

"No," she stutters. "It's not that. I have found love from time to time, but as you can see I am not the normal girl you once believed me to be. It has never lasted, and it is never likely to. I'm sorry, but soon I will have to leave with my friends. Will you... expose me?"

"And tell them what," he laughs until he nearly cries. "That my lover from more than 60 years ago has reappeared unchanged, and I want her to stay? Come now, darling. They would sedate me for fear of madness. But please, I beg of you one last favor?"

"What?" Gina asks.

"I am old, as you can see," he says with his radiant grin. "I will die any time now. I would... like you to be there, when the time comes. Would you deny me that, after all we shared together?"

Gina feels her heart splinter, but she places a kind smile on her face. "When the time comes, send word for me. I will come."

* * *

"Gina?" Natsu asks.

Gina has been so quiet since they left the big mansion. She's been distant all through dinner, and barely touched her food. Natsu was used to her ignoring him, but she was usually nice to Lucy. Now Lucy and Happy have gone off to buy their tickets for the night train, and Gina is staring off into space again. Natsu is worried about her.

"Hmmm?" she asks, turning towards him with unfocused eyes.

"You okay?" he asks, touching his hand to her forehead. She doesn't seem to have a fever to him, but Lucy says he can't really tell. He always sees people do this when someone is sick though. He feels his magic spark again, and stares at her in confusion.

"I'm fine," she says, pushing his hand away. "I'm just tired."

Ming skitters out from inside her skirts and drapes himself around her neck. It makes Natsu queasy, so he scoots further away.

"You were amazing with the kids today, Gina," he says, trying to get her to really talk to him. "Do you get to be around kids a lot?"

"No," she says. "Not for a long time now. I come from a very large family though."

"Really?" he asks, delighted that she's actually talking. "Growing up, it was just me and Igneel. I never really had a family outside of Fairy Tail. It must have been really nice."

"Sometimes," she says with a slight smile. "It can be suffocating too though. It's a lot of expectations to live up to."

"Really? Like what?"

She glances at him out of the corner of her eye, as if unsure of whether she should answer. Finally she sighs and says, "They wanted me to be a mother, actually. Carry on the family name and all of that. They trained me for it for a long time, but I think they've probably given up now."

"That's stupid," he laughs. "Your barely as old as I am. You could..."

Natsu shuts his mouth with a grimace, and looks at her carefully again. _The Old Man said she was sick..._ he remembers. _She's not dying is she?!_ "Wait, Gina are you..."

"Hey guys!" Lucy shouts, running their way. "Hurry up! We have to get our bags on board!"

Gina stands up and walks towards Lucy, as if he'd never even spoken.

"Awww man..." Natsu mumbles with dread sitting down on the bench. "I really hate these things."

"Go on, Ming," Gina whispers to the little rat thing, and it skitters off into the overhead compartment. Then Gina flips a coin and slaps it down on her wrist. "I'm sorry if I smell, Natsu. Come here." She waves her hands towards herself.

"What?!" he shouts in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you _want_ to spend the entire train ride home miserable?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, no... but I... what are you...?" he stutters.

Gina rolls her eyes, and grabs the end of his scarf, yanking him across and into her lap like he had been when he'd woken up before. Natsu feels his magic spark, yet again, and then he gets this terrible fluttery feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Hey!" he shouts, fighting a blush with everything in him.

"Natsu's like a little ba-by," Happy's voice sing-songs from above him.

"Why you little..." he jumps up, about ready to strangle Happy, but Gina catches him by the scarf again and yanks him back down. Even worse, he catches sight of Lucy coming back their direction and she's laughing.

"Shhh..." Gina whispers, "Hold still."

He folds his arms across his chest in defiance, but then her fingers touch his temple and his body begins to feel heavy. He drifts off to sleep just as the train begins moving.


	7. Chapter 7 - Gray's Girlfriend

"Oh my God, I got the cutest picture of Gina and Natsu!" Lucy squeals in Gray's ear. "Look!"

Gray takes the photo from her hand and stares at it for a moment in surprise. Natsu and Gina are both asleep in a booth on the train in the picture, and Natsu's curled up around her like they're sweethearts or something.

"Whoa..." he chuckles. "I knew there was something up with those two. Did they finally hash it out on the last job?"

"Not really," Lucy laughs. "This is pure blackmail. Gina was using sleep magic to keep Natsu asleep through his motion sickness, but she ended up falling asleep herself before we got there."

"I don't know," Gray mumbles feeling very skeptical of the description. "She's not exactly holding him like you'd hold a friend, if you know what I mean."

"I know what it looks like," Lucy says, rolling her eyes, "but it's not exactly that different from how she treats you, ya know. She's just a cuddly kind of person, I think."

Gray blushes, tossing his shirt over the back of her couch without thinking about it. He knows what Lucy means. Gina hugs him practically every time she sees him now. She'd practically bolted off of the train ahead of Natsu and Lucy when they got back from their last mission and ran straight for him. It wasn't your average 'nice to see you' kind of hug either, it was one of those full-body 'I need you' kind of deals. He'd completely frozen up in surprise.

 _Man... this is my fault,_ he admits to himself. _Maybe I led her on with the whole Juvia thing. And let's face it, it's an awful lot more than I'm getting from anyone else; so, it's got to look bad. I've heard people say she's my girlfriend around the guild. When did that start up?_

"Do you think maybe I led her on?" he asks Lucy. _She should know because she is a woman after all..._

"You mean with the whole 'Hey Juvia have you met Gina' thing?" Lucy scoffs, "Seriously Gray, that's your own fault. I mean..." her voice suddenly gets quieter. "What's a girl supposed to think?"

"Lucy," Gray objects, "You don't honestly think I have a thing for her, do you?"

"Why not?" Lucy asks. "She's pretty – almost as pretty as Erza."

"I'm not into Erza either," Gray retorts, narrowing his eyes. "Yeah, she's beautiful, but she's practically my big sister."

"Is there a reason we're even talking about this?" Lucy hedges, turning away from him and walking towards her kitchen.

"Maybe because you, of all people, should _know_ who I'm into," he says, standing up and stalking towards her.

"Ha!" Lucy laughs, turning around inside the kitchen before looking surprised. "Gray, what are you..."

"If you haven't figured it out by now, gorgeous, than I'm more than a little irritated," he admits.

Gray puts a hand on either side of her against the wall, and leans his body against Lucy's as she edges backwards. He glances at the adorable little blush on her cheeks, and her curvy perky figure. _She's so damned pretty..._ he thinks with frustration.

"Gray," Lucy says nervously, "Do you realize you're not wearing any pants again?"

 _What?_ he thinks, looking down at his boxers. _When did I do that? Damn it... way to be awkward. But I'm not gonna let that stop me this time!_

"Good thing you're pretty used to it," Gray mumbles. "Why are you changing the subject, Luce?"

"Because I'm nervous..." she admits.

That's all the permission he needs. Gray leans in and kisses her. He had intended to be gentle about it, like some kind of sweet prince, but Lucy's reaction catches him off guard. She lets out this sweet little squeak, and wraps her hands up behind his neck. She kisses him back with serious fervor, and he pulls her against him to really kiss her. She tastes like some kind of mint gum, but her mouth is sweet and hot.

 _Finally..._ he thinks, wrapping his arms more fully around her back and feeling the softness of her body against him. It's taken him way too long to get Lucy in his arms like this. She's got a gorgeous body, and a precious pure heart. He loves the entire package. He's not sure when he fell for her, but it was a long, long time ago.

"Hey, Lucy?" Gina's voice rings out from the living room.

"Holy crap!" Lucy shouts, hitting Gray square in the chest and knocking him backwards away from her. "Gina?"

 _Ouch..._ Gray thinks. _She's stronger than she looks._

"Hi Lucy," Gina says entering the kitchen with a smile. "Oh, hi Gray. You umm..." She just points awkwardly and Gray is mortified to realize he has a whole new reason to wish he was wearing pants.

"Oh, good grief, Gray!" Lucy squeaks with a huge blush. "Where are your pants?!"

* * *

"Hey, Natsu!" Elfman shouts as Natsu strolls into the guild hall. "How'd the babysitting job go?"

"It was fine," Natsu mumbles with a shrug. "I thought Lucy was gonna faint when she saw how many kids there were though."

"Wow, you seem down little buddy," Macao chimes in with a sly grin. His big silver necklace glints as he slides over beside the perch Natsu takes at the bar. Macao Conbolt is one of the older wizards in Fairy Tail, father to Romeo, and the fill-in Master of Fairy Tail while Makarov and the rest of them were missing. Now he's relieved to slip back into his old relaxed role. "I thought you'd be happier after having a job with the ladies all to yourself."

"Yeah, sure," Natsu replies, diligently trying to ignore them.

"Did you get a chance to talk to Gina?" Mirajane adds her voice to the interrogation.

"It didn't work out, okay?" Natsu replies defensively. "I tried a couple of times, but I guess my timing just sucks or something."

"Ah, don't worry," Elfman says with a loud laugh. "A real man bides his time, and waits for the right time to tell a woman what's on his mind."

"I think if Natsu were to tell Gina what was on his mind," Macao laughs, "he'd get slapped pretty good. Right kid?"

"Come on, guys," Natsu whines. "Just lay off, okay?"

Macao and Elfman lose their teasing grins; surprised at Natsu not taking the bait.

"Sure thing, kid," Macao says, dropping a hand to Natsu's shoulder before walking away.

Mirajane hands Natsu his favorite soda and steps back to lean against the bar. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asks.

"No," Natsu mumbles, only sipping from the soda before walking away.

"Man..." Elfman mumbles to his sister. "I can't remember seeing Natsu this down in the dumps since we thought Lisanna died. He usually shakes it off. He must be really hung up on this girl. That's bad news."

"Why?" Mira asks.

"Well, with her being Gray's girlfriend and all," Elfman explains with a shrug. "It's gotta be hard watching someone you like be with your rival like that; especially since they're all running on the same team."

"Are you sure she's Gray's girlfriend?" Mira asks, raising an eyebrow skeptically. "I know Natsu thinks so, but I'm not so sure..."

"Nah," Elfman says with a heavy sigh. "I'm sure. I saw them get back from their last job. Natsu seemed to be doing better – looked a lot more positive you know – but then Gina ran straight up to Gray and hugged him like there was no tomorrow. Natsu looked like someone slapped him, but... he sucked it up and moved on like a real man. I'm proud of the guy."

"Awww..." Mirajane sighs. "That's a shame."

"I'm kinda irritated with Gray, though, to be honest," Elfman gripes. "I've known he had a thing for Lucy since forever. I saw him watching her just this morning with a little more than casual interest. I swear if that guy is trying to toy with both of our girls at the same time, I'm gonna teach him a new definition of pain. The issues with Juvia are already enough of a mess without him playing the field."

* * *

Gina pokes the tiny Happy action figure in the window and smiles. She silently pleads with the fates that she isn't around long enough to end up with one of her own. There seems to be one for everyone else on the team though; Erza even has one for each of her requipping outfits. She looks at the tiny Natsu Dragneel action figure; sorely tempted to buy it. She would never live it down, though, if someone were to discover it.

 _Maybe I should just buy one of all of them..._ she thinks. _He's so adorable in miniature._

She thinks back to the peaceful expression on Natsu's face as he slept in her arms on the train. She'd tried to be extra careful, however, as Happy seemed to pay much more attention to her on the return trip, and she didn't want to show too much interest. The truth is, Natsu is growing on her at an alarming rate. As a younger nymph, she probably would have thrown caution to the wind and tempted the dragon slayer into her bed already; but the years have made her more careful – albeit perhaps more paranoid too. He doesn't seem to be dangerous, but looks can be deceiving and intentions don't always translate directly to end results.

Her fire magic is also causing her increasing worry which she isn't used to battling. Until her forced proximity to Natsu, she hadn't realized how desperately it was battling to ignite itself within her. It must be much more diminished than she'd realized. She wonders how many years she has left at this rate, but she isn't willing to change her current course of action. Using Gray's ice magic as a counter is probably wildly dangerous, but it is also effective. As long as she can keep her temperature down, no one will be the wiser. Her hand hovers just above the action figure when a voice startles her, and she jumps in surprise.

"They never seem to get my nose right..." Natsu mumbles. She turns around to see a shy smile on his face; very unusual for the dragon slayer. Gina giggles.

"How exactly can they get your nose wrong when it's barely larger than the head of a pen?" she asks.

"I don't really know, but they always seem to manage it," he replies with a brighter smile. "Hey Gina... uh... I was wondering if you were busy today."

"Me?" she asks, bewildered. "No. Why?"

"Cause..." he says, looking unsure. "I thought maybe you could hang out with me and Happy? I haven't really gotten a chance to talk to you much even though we've been out on a few jobs. I'd like to get to know you better."

"Uhhh..." she swallows hard. _This could be a great opportunity, or it could be the worst idea in the universe,_ she thinks. "Did you have something particular in mind?"

"Not really," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. "Would you like to go fishing?"

"Okay..." she says with a nervous smile. _Oh God... please don't burst into flames stupid magic..._

* * *

"Hey Gray!" Gray hears Elfman shout from behind him. "You got a minute to talk?"

"Yeah," Gray mumbles tucking his hands into his pants pockets with a shrug. "What's up, man?"

"I've got a bone to pick with you," Elfman says, narrowing his eyes at him and standing beside him with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Huh?" Gray asks, surprised.

"A real man doesn't set a woman up for disappointment," Elfman continues. "I'm not just gonna sit back and watch you hurt Gina and Lucy."

"What are you talking about man?" Gray asks defensively.

"Don't play dumb with me," Elfman threatens. "I've seen the way you act around both girls. It's not fair to lead them on like that. You should set it right."

"Awww, man," Gray protests. "Look it's not what it looks like, okay? I know it seems weird but..."

"I don't want to hear excuses man," Elfman cuts him off. "Just make it right."

"Okay, okay," Gray says, throwing his arms in the air with irritation. "I'll talk to her okay? No confusion. No mess."

"Good," Elfman replies, slapping a hand against his back with apparent approval.

 _Great..._ Gray thinks. _Now everyone is on my back. This thing with Gina has been blown WAY out of proportion. I don't want to make things awkward, but Elfman's right. I've gotta clear the air._

* * *

Gina gives her fishing pole a quick flick with her wrist, sending the line flying out far from shore. Then she sits back against the soft grass to wait. Ming curls up against her side with his whole little body quivering with excitement. Fish is his favorite food; just like Happy. It's been too long since she's rewarded him with it.

"You've done this before, huh?" Natsu asks, sitting cross-legged beside her.

"Yeah," she confirms with a yawn. "It's been a long time, but fishing doesn't seem to change much from place to place."

"You just wait," he says with a grin, slapping his fist to his hand with a small flare of fire. "These fish are huge. We'll hook a big one today!"

"Yeah!" Happy cheers while holding onto his own tiny pole.

She just smiles in return. Natsu is sitting in the perfect spot for her to watch him as he fishes if she leans back against the grass while he remains attentive to his line. She drinks in the sight of him, enjoying the view. His muscles flex and relax as he fidgets impatiently. She's honestly surprised that he enjoys this pastime with the amount of patience it typically requires.

"Hey Gina," Natsu says, glancing back at her somewhat cautiously, "when we were on the last job with all the kids, you said your family wanted you to be a mom, but that they'd given up on that. What did you mean?"

She is a little surprised at how forward his question is, but smiles. It's one of the things she's come to like the most about the dragon slayer. He's impatient and blunt, but brutally honest. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and so far... that heart seems to be beautiful. In contrast, she has been forced to live her entire life in shadows and secrets. She hates the necessity of it. She looks at him carefully, desperately wanting to be honest with him, but knowing that will not be truly possible unless she ultimately decides if he will be a good Nymph Sire.

"Well..." she hedges, realizing her earlier honesty may be challenging to explain. "I basically told them no."

"Really?" Natsu asks, with surprise. "Why? You'd make an awesome mom."

Gina blushes, feeling excitement roll through her and also the urge to roll her eyes at her girlish response to his praise.

"I just... don't think it's a good idea," she replies, hoping to drop the subject.

"Is... is it because you're sick?" Natsu asks, turning around fully and staring at her with fear in his eyes. The expression startles her. "You're not... dying are you?"

Gina's breath catches in her throat. _What an odd question to have to answer honestly..._ Her magic's behavior has left her wondering the very same thing for a while now. "Well, we're all dying eventually Natsu," she hedges. "It's a natural part of life. But no... I don't think I'm going to die any time soon."

"Whew!" he shouts in apparent relief. "Man, I was really freaked out. Sorry, but I just couldn't think of another reason why your family would feel like that. I'm glad I was wrong."

Gina smiles sadly. "There are a lot of reasons a woman may not want to be a mom, Natsu."

"Yeah," he says with a shrug. "but you can always change your mind. Why would you want to make a decision like that without even having a steady boyfriend anyway? It seems kinda backwards."

"I agree," she says sitting up and leaning towards him. She's excited that he understands her point of view. "I think it's stupid that they just _expect_ me to have kids, as if that's more important than finding someone I really love. That's actually the part I think they've given up on honestly."

"What?" Natsu asks with an incredulous expression. "Finding a guy you want to be with? That's stupid. You could have any guy you want."

"That's the problem," she says, leaning back against the grass again with a smile. "Beauty alone doesn't solve every problem, Natsu. So far, I like the ones I can't keep, and don't like the ones I can. Figures..."

"Real problem there..." Happy chimes in sarcastically.

"Oh come on," Natsu says leaning back himself and rolling to face her, his fishing pole apparently forgotten. "You're not just pretty. You're also a nice person if someone really takes time to get to know you. Besides, you and Gray seem to be pretty cozy together. There's always hope right? Not that I'm... never mind."

Natsu glances away in apparent frustration. Gina is surprised to realize that he actually believes she is dating Gray. It must be the hugs. She is even more surprised to realize he is supportive of the would-be relationship; or at least trying to be. She won't correct him, however, and instead decides to try and divert him.

"What about you?" she asks. "Do you want children?" She tries not to hold her breath while waiting for his response; begging the fates that Happy doesn't embarrass him about her question. Surprisingly, he stays quiet.

"Uhhh..." he chokes, rolling to look up at the sky. "Yeah, I guess. I mean... if I found a girl I really liked and wanted to be with then... sure. It seems like that's something chicks want."

"That doesn't mean it's what _you_ want," she challenges.

"Well..." he says, raising both his arms and laying his head back against them. "I guess I just don't know if I'd be any good at it, you know? I was raised by Igneel, and then here at the guild after he left. I don't really know what it's like to... have a Dad who's not a dragon... or be in a normal family."

"I think you'd make a good dad..." Happy adds so softly Gina almost can't hear him. He's still facing the water and watching his line, but it is obvious that he was waiting to hear Natsu's response as much as she was. She remember's Mira's explanation of Natsu hatching and raising Happy, and realizes the dragon slayer must mean the world to him in a way she's never really understood.

"Happy's right, Natsu. You don't have to _have_ a good father to _be_ a good father," she says with a smile. His worry touches her heart, and she feels it soften towards him further. "I think you'd make a good father. You were great with the kids at that mansion, and Happy should know better than anyone."

"You guys really think so?" he asks with a nervous smile.

"Duh..." Happy chuckles. "Besides, if you never have kids, I never get to be the Uncle that spoils them rotten."

Natsu laughs. "Guess I hadn't thought about that little buddy. Thanks, Gina."

"Yeah," she mumbles, glancing away. They sit in quiet for a few minutes, with only the soft sounds of the lake water drifting in the air.

"Hey Gina..." Natsu says, reaching in his pocket. "I have something I wanted to give you."

"What is it?" she asks, sitting up.

She watches him pull a small wrapped box out of his pocket. It's black velvet with a little red ribbon. It's also the perfect size for a small piece of jewelry, and her heart is suddenly in her throat. Natsu looks more nervous than she's ever seen him.

"It's nothing big," he says with a shrug, sitting up to hand it to her.

She takes the box from him and gently unties the ribbon; lifting the lid of the box slowly. To her surprise, a small magical token rests inside. She gasps, recognizing the token immediately. It's one she has considered buying a hundred times, but has never purchased. It is a fire magic token. The token is made of gold, with a phoenix etched into one side and a flame on the other. It is actually a fairly powerful token. Using it could give her an excuse to allow her own fire magic through, but could potentially also make her magic source more detectable. It is the main reason she's never decided to purchase the token herself.

"Do... you not like it?" Natsu asks with a shaky voice. "I get it... it's stupid. Can you not use fire magic anymore at all?"

"What?" Gina responds, startled. "Why would you say that?"

"Well..." Natsu says rubbing the back of his head. "It's just a hunch. See... you uh... smell like fire, but in a weird way I've never smelled before. So I figured maybe your original magic was fire magic before you got sick. I was kinda hoping that maybe that was also why you hated me so much. Because... I remind you of it?"

Gina tries to breathe calmly, so she closes her eyes for a moment. There is utterly no apparent point to trying to hide her fire magic from Natsu completely. His nose is too good, and his mind too sharp. She can feel tension radiating from Ming when she glances up at him in the tree branches.

"I guess I was hoping that maybe you could use just a little if the magic was coming from a coin instead of from you..." Natsu's voice wavers slightly. "But maybe that was dumb."

"No..." Gina hurries to argue, then sighs deeply. "It's not stupid Natsu. It's actually... very thoughtful."

"So... I was right?" he asks, leaning towards her.

"Yeah," she decides to run with his theory. _It's actually a convenient explanation..._ she thinks. _I should have thought of it a long time ago myself._ "My natural magic is fire magic. Being around you can be... difficult. It's nothing personal." _Okay, that was slightly untrue..._

"He was right?" Happy shouts, sounding shocked and finally looking their direction.

"Well, that's a relief," he says with an adorably cheeky grin. Gina feels her heart do a little flip in her chest. "But do you think you can use it?"

"Well..." she says, feeling a little more restless and mischievous than before. "Let's find out."

Gina takes the coin out of the little box and flips it into the air. She slaps the token onto her wrist as it is on its way down and lets a small ball of flame burst forth on the palm of her hand.

"Wow!" Natsu shouts. "It works!"

"Cool!" Happy chimes in.

"Sure does," she replies with a smile. She's not truly sure which side the coin landed on, but she continues with, "the other side has a phoenix spell which is much more powerful. I probably shouldn't test that one out unless I need to though."

"Right..." Natsu mumbles staring at the flame. "I wonder what it tastes like..."

"What?" Gina asks, startled.

Before she can get another word out, Natsu snatches up the small fire ball and shoves it in his mouth. His eyes roll into the back of his head, and a blissful grin spreads across his face as he tries to mumble with his mouth full. Gina narrows her eyes at him in irritation.

"What did you expect?" Happy asks, rolling in the grass with laughter.

"Holy cow," he sighs after swallowing, "That tasted like heaven! That token is awesome!"

"If you think I'm going to use this to feed you as we go gallivanting across the countryside...," Gina begins threatening.

"Oh, no way!" Natsu says, looking put out. "I wouldn't want to tire out your magic like that. Was it still pretty draining?"

"Yes," she admits honestly. "It will probably be harder and harder to accomplish as time passes. I'm glad to have it though." _After all, it will give me an excuse to use my magic if really necessary._ "Thank you, Natsu."

She gives him a genuine smile, and he looks stunned for just a moment. Her own surprise kicks in as she realizes that she feels a faint hint of affection wafting from him as he looks away, back to his fishing line.

* * *

Gina stumbles back into Lucy's apartment feeling very foolish. She never should have gone to the lake with Natsu for the entire day. _What was I thinking?!_ She feels like she is already on fire, and she focuses on getting to the few drawers in the small dresser at the end of the hall where Lucy has been kind enough to allow her to stash her things. _I have to get out of here..._

"Gina?" a familiar voice calls from behind her.

 _Gray! Thank God!_ She whirls around and runs to hug him, but he steps back from her.

"Hold up," he says shifting uncomfortably. "Look... we need to talk."

"What?" she responds in dread. _I don't have time to talk!_ "Nevermind. Let me hug you, Gray. Please. Then I'll talk about whatever you want."

"I can't do that, Gina," he says with a blush.

Gina throws herself at him, and hugs him anyway.


	8. Chapter 8 - Confession

_Awwwwww man…_ Gray thinks to himself, _shit._ He holds his arms out to his side awkwardly. "Ummm Gina, I'm serious. Look we need to…" He feels Gina turn her face and press it against the exposed skin at the top of his shirt, and jumps in surprise when his brain registers how flaming hot her skin is. "Holy crap!"

"Shhhhh…" Gina mumbles with a sigh, "Just give me a second okay?"

"Gina, what the hell is going on?" he demands, as the hair on the back of his neck begins to rise in warning. "You're burning up. And this isn't the first time." He places his hand more fully against the skin of her forehead. She's got a fever well over 100 degrees. "Oh my God," he continues, "If we don't get your fever down, you're gonna end up with brain damage!"

"I'll be okay," she mumbles shifting her face against his skin again. Then he stiffens as he feels her arms slide up inside his shirt, and against the skin of his back. "Why are you even wearing this thing anyway?" she mumbles.

"What?" he says, feeling like he's suddenly the butt of some sick joke. "Why the hell do you want me naked when you're burning up with…" _Hold up._ He can feel an idea just out of his mental grasp. _Fever… ice magic… nah… My ice magic doesn't make people colder unless I want it to. That can't be it. But that means… she just wants me naked? What the hell?!_ "Gina, you'd better start explaining, because I am about to lose my damn mind here."

"I'm sorry, Gray," she says, stepping back with a blush on her cheeks.

 _Weird…_ he thinks. _With a fever that high, why isn't her whole face beet red? Actually, why isn't her entire body?_ "Just start explaining," he demands.

"I… haven't been honest with you Gray. Not with any of you," Gina admits. "I've been hugging you because… I'm using your ice-make magic to keep my temperature down."

"Wait a minute," he feels shock course through him. "You ARE using my ice magic?! How the hell does that even work? I don't make other people cold!"

"It's complicated," she hedges, taking a step towards the couch and rubbing her arms.

"You do that a lot too," he points to her arms. "What is that? Most people do that when they're freezing."

"Similar idea, I guess," she says with a weary smile, "It's just my habit when I'm overheating."

"But WHY are you overheating? You'd better fess up, or I'm going to Gramps and I'm…"

"I'm sick, Gray!" she shouts, cutting off his rant. "I'm having problems controlling my body temperature because I'm sick. Okay?"

"Sick how?" he asks, walking over to sit beside her on the couch, and tossing his shirt absently over its back. "Is this what Gramps was talkin' about? The thing that made you lose your magic?"

"Yes…" she hedges, and Gray can tell she's holding something back. "Natsu figured out earlier today that my original form of magic was fire magic."

"Makes sense," Gray replies with a shrug, "He says you still smell like it."

"Well…" she fidgets again. "I didn't realize until recently how weak my magic truly has become, even in the form I'm now practicing. That weakness seems to be making that original magic source more sensitive, and reactive, when I would otherwise not have a problem. My former magic is misbehaving and causing my temperature to escalate wildly out of control. It IS reacting to your ice-make magic. I don't know why. I've never heard of something like that before. I just know that when I touch you… it successfully can bring my temperature back to normal."

"Does it hurt?" he asks with dread, watching her begin to rub her arms more fiercely. "Aw, dammit, just come over here. You're makin' me nervous."

He props himself against the arm of the couch and pulls Gina's little body up against him. He resists the urge to jump when her hot skin meets his bare chest. She wraps her arms around him eagerly, pressing her face against his chest again.

 _Man…_ he thinks in panic. _If Lucy walks in, I'm as good as dead._

"Look Gina," Gray starts, "I want to help you, but… I, uh…"

"You're in love with Lucy," she replies very matter-of-factly.

"Well… yeah," he hedges, rubbing the back of his head. "I mean… I don't want to give you the wrong idea or anything, and I…"

"You aren't," Gina smiles against his chest. "You're a very handsome guy, Gray. You could have your pick of the women in town, and maybe you have before, but your heart's been set on Lucy since long before I met you. I'm surprised the two of you aren't dating."

"Well, I'm pretty easy-going," he shrugs. "But this could get weird. Why haven't you been honest with everyone? Why didn't you just tell us you're still sick?"

"Because it would change all of you," Gina says with a weary sigh.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he asks.

"If I told you I were dying, Gray, how would you feel?"

Gray feels ice slide through his veins, and it has nothing to do with his magic. He tilts Gina's face up to look him in the eyes, and he finds them deep and sad. It's suddenly hard to breathe. "Naw…" he chokes, "No. No way, Gina. You're not dyin'. There's no way! We could…"

"Stop Gray," she begs with the same somber expression. "That's what I DON'T want, okay? I don't want sad eyes. I don't want anger, or determination to find out what's wrong. I don't want everyone in Fairy Tail trying to find out why I'm sick, and some way to beat it."

"But that's ridiculous!" he shouts, sitting up and gripping her shoulders. "There's no way we wouldn't find an answer, Gina! You don't know us that well yet. There isn't ANYTHING we can't do!"

"No!" she shouts back, beginning to look angry – which makes no sense at all. "I _know_ what's wrong, Gray! I don't want people to know! I want to enjoy my life. I want to see everyone live and laugh: you, Lucy, Erza, Natsu, Happy and the others. I'm not saying that I'm going to die from this for sure. It's a possibility, but there are lots of possibilities. I don't want this to be the thing people see when they look at me. I want them to just see me. Please Gray. Promise you won't tell everyone my secret. Or I'll… be gone as soon as you do."

"That's bullshit!" Gray shouts, feeling angry now himself. "What about, Natsu, huh? Is he making you sick, and doesn't even know it? Are you reacting to his magic like you are mine? That's why you're always shoving him away from you! Isn't it? God, _dammit_! Do you have any _idea_ how that will make him feel if he finds out?! He cares about you Gina. He'd never hurt you on purpose!"

"I know he wouldn't," she says, looking down at her hands with a smile. "And he isn't really hurting me, Gray. He just causes my temperature to rise the same way yours causes it to go back down. Look… if you tell anyone, they're just going to want to poke and prod me. They'll run tests, and make conclusions. I don't want them to know what's wrong with me, and I don't want you to know either. Hugging you helps me, but if it makes you uncomfortable I will find another solution. If you need a better answer, or you don't want to keep my secret, then I'll move on. I've visited many guilds before, and I can find many more."

"That's so unfair!" he objects. "I don't want you to leave, and I don't like lying to my team."

"Then don't lie," she shrugs. "Just don't say anything."

A long awkward silence stretches out between him and Gina, and he slowly starts to feel his temper settle back down. "Are you really dying?"

"We all die eventually Gray," she says, settling back into the couch.

"Dammit, don't give me some bullshit answer," he spits. "Tell me the truth on this _one_ thing."

"Fine…" she sighs. "I am weakening. It is possible that I could eventually simply die from that weakness, yes, but the situation is much more complicated than that. I could be strengthened by various factors, and weakened by others. Strengthening would give me more time, and weakening would give me less. Until recently, I believed I had a lot of time left. Recent events… and this fever… have left me more uncertain, but I could be overreacting. I could still have many years left."

"So how do we strengthen you?" he asks, trying to solve the puzzle in his mind.

"Just be my friend," she whispers with tears in her eyes, staring off into nothing. "There are a lot of things about me that I can't explain. Please, Gray. I have no right to ask this of you, but I need your help."

"Damn…" he mumbles, tossing his head back on the couch. "This is going to make things with Lucy really awkward, and Elfman is already on my case."

"I'm sorry…" Gina replies with a grimace. "Would it help if I talk to them?"

"And tell them what?" Gray challenges with a huff. "You've just said I can't tell them the truth."

"Well…" she pauses for a minute or two, "maybe we can just be less awkward about it, now that you understand I'm not coming on to you."

"Yeah, I guess," he concedes.

* * *

As Gina pushes the heavy doors of the guild hall open, she is greeted by the hustle and bustle that she has come to know as Fairy Tail. She's borrowed one of Lucy's short blue skirts today, and partnered it with a burnt orange halter top she admired in a shop window earlier that week. Her hair is pulled back in a braided bun against the back of her head to match the day's warm weather, but she's excited to feel the sun on her skin and know her own temperature seems to be behaving today after spending so much time with Gray last night.

Lucy didn't come home from the guild hall until late, and so far it seems as if Gray is keeping to his word and keeping his mouth shut, but it makes her nervous. She's never had to fabricate a lie this complex to keep herself hidden before, but she's never been this weak before either.

Part of her is shocked at her own behavior. She doesn't feel as if she wants to die, and she could alter the course of her health easily enough. She just doesn't particularly feel like fighting to stay alive just to keep going the way things have always been, and she's tired of being in one-sided relationships.

She spots Happy and Natsu up at the bar, and is just about to head their direction when a familiar voice speaks from behind her.

"Well, well…" the scratchy and distinct, rock-star voice of Bickslow calls, "That's a pair of legs I thought I'd never see again. What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

Gina freezes. _Oh shit…_ this is a complication she hadn't anticipated. She turns around with a sly smile. "Bickslow," she croons with blatant sarcasm, "Not happy to see me?"

Bickslow has on his standard attire: a black and white striped long-sleeved shirt, green bracers, awkward pants, and helmet with visor to cover his magical eyes. He's tall and intimidating, just like she remembers him. In classic fashion, his tongue is hanging out of his mouth like a dog between his grin, so his guild mark is displayed on its top. Seeing him makes her begin to wonder where the rest of the Thunder Legion are – she didn't think they actually frequented the Fairy Tail guild hall. She expected them to still be with Laxus.

"Oh, I'm always happy enough to see a pretty face," Bickslow barks with a laugh, as his little flying pets chant ' _Pretty, pretty!'_ behind him. "Freed is gonna flip shit when he sees you though, doll face. He still hasn't forgiven you for walking out on Laxus. I don't think Evergreen ever really liked you, so probably won't have much difference there."

"Is Laxus here?" she asks in dread, ready to bolt for the door.

"Nah," Bickslow replies, calming her heart rate. "Laxus has been exiled from Fairy Tail. You won't see him around here, but he told the rest of us to stay put so here we are. Figured you would have heard at least that much."

She had heard, which is why she wasn't counting on seeing them; but she wasn't about to tell Bickslow that.

"Good morning, Gina," Makarov's voice startles her and she nearly jumps out of her skin. She looks down to see the old man standing beside her with a wide grin. "And you too, Bickslow. I see you've met my grand niece, Gina."

The smirk falls from Bickslow's face, and he looks completely stunned. After a moment he shakes his head and says, "Whoa, hold up. Can you repeat that old man? Because I think I _must_ have heard you wrong."

Gina wants to jump in, but she's completely floundering. There is no way to have this conversation without a mess. Bickslow knows her too well, and he knows she isn't related to Makarov at all. Before she can come up with anything, Freed's voice jumps into the fray from the sidelines.

"It would seem that we need to find a place to talk," Freed's deep tone is disapproving. "Master, I believe there is more you need to know. Or perhaps… more that we do."

 _Great…_ Gina thinks. _Just when I thought I could stay at Fairy Tail._

* * *

Natsu stares up at the job board, frustrated that nothing looks worthwhile.

"This sucks," he says to no one in particular. "Lucy's gonna hate all these jobs."

"Aye," Happy agrees. "If she doesn't make some rent money soon, her head's gonna explode!"

"Actually…" Wendy's small voice calls from behind him. "She just left on a job a few minutes ago."

He turns around and sees Wendy padding up to him, with Carla right behind her. Wendy is in a little green, blue and yellow halter-top style sundress with her hair up in long blue pigtails. Carla is in a small red and white dress – which is only odd to someone who doesn't know what an exceed is. Wendy is Fairy Tail's youngest dragon slayer, an air dragon slayer, and Carla found her when they were both very young.

"What do you mean, she left?" Natsu asks Wendy with surprise. "Why would she leave without telling me? Who the heck did she go with?"

"Ummm…" Wendy says, looking nervous. "She went with Gray. She was looking for you, but couldn't find you, and I guess they had to leave pretty quickly. She said it was a job on a moving train, so she figured you wouldn't want to go anyway."

"Ugh…" Natsu mumbles, starting to feel queasy at just the mention of a train. "Well… I can't believe she left without saying goodbye, but… I guess I'll let her off this once."

Wendy just smiles and giggles. Then a man in the doorway of the guild hall catches Natsu's attention. He is dressed in some kind of messenger outfit, and looks completely freaked out by the small crowd in the guild hall. It's nowhere near as busy as Fairy Tail used to be, but the crowd has been building back up since the Tenrou Island incident. Natsu decides to walk up and save him the search.

"Hey there," he says with a smile. "Who you lookin' for?"

"Ummm…" the man glances down at his paper to confirm. "I have a message for Aegina Asterope. Is she in today?"

"Oh, sure. Gina?" Natsu says with a laugh. "I just saw her go into the library with Gramps. You want me to give that to her?"

"No, sir," he says, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, but this message must be delivered in-person."

"Suit yourself," Natsu says, throwing his arms behind his head and strolling back over to the bar. "Why don't you come have a soda while you wait?"

The messenger waited at the bar for what seemed like hours to Natsu. Just about every member of Fairy Tail in the hall talked to him at one point or another. Eventually, Natsu spots Gina headed back into the main room, and she looks tired and unhappy. He wants to punch whoever put that look on her face.

 _Weird…_ he thinks, _where the heck did that come from?_

"Hey Gina!" he calls, successfully getting her attention, and possibly startling her. "This guy's been waiting forever for you to come down!"

"What?" she wonders aloud, walking over to the man. "I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

"No miss," the messenger says, jumping up and bowing slightly. "I have brought a message for you, and I was told it needed to reach you as soon as possible." He hands her a small white envelope.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Gina begins fumbling through her pockets, but the messenger interrupts with a polite wave.

"Oh there's no need for payment, Miss," he says with a smile. "The payment was arranged by the sender."

"Oh, well… thank you," Gina says with a smile, but she still looks stressed out.

"Everything okay, Gina?" Natsu asks, putting his hand on her shoulder gently after the messenger leaves. Natsu feels his magic spark slightly, once again, but Gina flinches away from him as if she's been shocked.

"Um, yeah," she mumbles, looking down to the envelope.

 _Damn_. Natsu really thought he made progress with Gina yesterday. She didn't seem to hate him at all by the time she went home. He decides to try again. She seemed to enjoy fishing. It wasn't as boring as usual with her around last time, so maybe she'd like to try again. She begins reading the note, and looks paler and paler by the minute.

"Hey, you look like you could use a break," he says with a smile. "What do ya' say we try out that fishing hole again today? I'm sure we can't have bad luck twice in a row. Lucy left with Gray, so we could…"

"I'm sorry, Natsu," Gina says, closing her eyes and clenching her jaw tight. "I can't today. I'm not actually feeling very well, so I think I'll just go back to the apartment and rest."

"Oh, okay," he says, rubbing the back of his head and trying not to let his disappointment show. She walks away briskly and out of the guild hall. Natsu just sticks his hands in his pockets and stares at the door for a long time.

"Do you… still want to go fishing?" Happy chimes in with a small sad voice from beside him after a few minutes.

"Sure, buddy," Natsu says with a shrug, "Let's grab our stuff."

"Maybe the message made her upset?" Happy asks; as if Natsu would have the answer.

"Yeah, maybe," he mumbles, actively trying to push the beautiful woman out of his mind. "Come on buddy, let's go. Dinner's on me."

* * *

Gray stands in front of the sliding door for their compartment on the train and breathes in deeply through his nose, trying to calm his nerves. _Come on man…_ he complains to himself. _Why is this so freakin' hard? It's not like she doesn't know already._

Gray decided after his long talk with Gina, that even though he can't tell Lucy the truth about her, he's got to finally "man-up" – as Elfman would put it – and be honest with Lucy about his own crap. She's got to know where he stands before this all gets super complicated and weird, or things could go bad fast. The problem is… he's known how he feels about Lucy forever, and just never got around to doing anything about it. That day in her apartment recently was a major exception; and they _still_ hadn't really talked through it since Gina interrupted. Finally, he slides the door open.

Lucy is curled up on the lower-bunk of the small cabin they've rented for the train ride. They're tailing some high-society airheads as glorified bodyguards, and keeping the cabin next to theirs at night. Gray argued with them that it made no sense to hire bodyguards that didn't even sleep in the same compartment as the client, but they ignored him.

 _As long as we get paid,_ he thinks, _I could care less._

"Gray?" Lucy asks in a sleepy voice, rolling over and peering at him from under her lashes.

 _Damn, she's so pretty._ "Yeah, Luce, it's me," he replies. "I found us some food. You want some?"

"Oh, awesome," she says, stretching like a cat before sitting up. "I'm starving."

He sits down on the mattress beside her, and hands her one of the two sandwiches he managed to scrounge up from the dining car. They eat in silence for a few minutes before he suddenly realizes that Lucy has stopped, and is staring at him with an impish grin.

"What?" he asks defensively.

"Are you ever going to talk to me, Gray?" she calls him out, "Or are you just going to think about it for the entire trip?"

"Man… guess I'm pretty obvious huh?" he laughs softly at himself.

"Well, I've known you for years now," she says, putting a finger on her chin as-if in thought. "and… you were _pretty_ obvious about not wanting Natsu and Happy to come on this job with us. Be honest. Did you pick this job just because it was on a train?"

"Hell yes," he admits with a real laugh this time. "No way did I want to deal with flame-brain in my face on this one."

"So… is this about," Lucy blushes and stares at her shoes, "that kiss in my apartment the other day?"

"Well, now that you mention it," he says, leaning back against the wall with a smirk, "that kiss was pretty fantastic. At least…" he wants to curse at his own slight blush, "I thought so anyway."

"Yeah," Lucy laughs nervously and rubs the back of her neck. "It was… intense."

 _Wait…_ he sits up, trying to focus on her reaction. _Is intense good or bad? Shit…_ He sits forward and places his head in his hands with his elbows on his knees. _Damn… is it hot in here or what? Stupid stuffy cabin._ He decides to lose the jacket.

"Look, Luce," he tries, with a slight nervous catch in his voice. "I'm sorry if I came on too strong out of nowhere like that. I hope I didn't freak you out."

"Oh, no," she says, putting her hand on his arm. "It's okay. I'll admit I was a little… I mean. 'Freaked out' is not the wording I would use. Maybe… surprised? I mean… we've been friends and teammates for years, Gray, and you never… well, geez, I don't know. You never seemed interested in me I guess. Well… not _that_ kind of interested."

"How can you even say that?" he asks, completely dumbfounded by her insecurity. "I've always said you were damn pretty. I've even been called out on my feelings for you on jobs before."

"Yeah, well…" she says with a blush, "when we got home it was just the same old routine. You never seemed to want more, so… I don't push."

"Maybe you were just too busy running around with Natsu to notice," he gripes, and instantly regrets how childish he sounds. He rubs his hands over his face in frustration. "Aww man, look… I didn't mean that, okay? Let's just forget…"

"No, you're right," Lucy says staring at her hands. "I spend all of my time with Natsu and Happy. And… there was quite a while there where I thought Natsu was the kind of guy I would like to be with."

Gray sits back against the wall again and crosses his arms over his chest defensively. "Yeah, how did that work out for ya?"

"Hey, don't get all moody on me pal," Lucy gripes. "You're the one that kissed me, remember?"

"I'm sorry," he mumbles. "I know I'm being an ass, I just… I don't know."

"Look…" Lucy says, with a smile. "I said I _thought_ Natsu was the kind of guy I wanted to be with, but in the end it turns out that he's more like… I don't know. The little brother I never had. He's fun and loyal and an amazing friend, and I don't want to give that relationship up. But there was just no chemistry."

Gray suddenly feels like he's holding his breath. He felt major chemistry when he kissed Lucy, but she still hadn't said _she_ did.

"What about…when I kissed you?" he finally asks.

That impish grin that he's come to love so much creeps back onto Lucy's face. She turns around so she's facing him on the mattress, and leans up against him; sliding her hands along the chest. _Whoa… when did I lose my shirt?_ He can feel her nails rasp lightly against him, and it sends sparks across his senses. She keeps her eyes on his as her fingers continue upward to thread through the hair behind his head. _Oh hell yes…_ he thinks, knowing exactly where this conversation is headed.

"You know, I'm not sure," Lucy says, practically nose to nose with him. "It's been quite a while since then. Maybe you should kiss me again, and find out?"


	9. Chapter 9 - Gavin Hardbrook

Natsu's shoulders hunch over as he and Happy continue their trek home after another rotten day of fishing. They'd caught enough for a small meal, but nothing impressive. _Maybe it's better that Gina didn't come…_ he thinks to himself. _She'd probably never try again. I just hope she's feeling better._

He's rounding the corner onto the bridge by Lucy's apartment when something catches his eye. Happy notices him stiffen immediately.

"What's up?" Happy whispers.

"Did you see that?" he asks, darting around the corner before waiting to hear the answer. He would swear he saw someone sneaking out of Lucy's apartment building. Lucy was gone with Gray, but… _Gina!_ "Give me a lift little buddy," he says, turning back to Happy and pointing to Lucy's bedroom window.

He wants to know who they are, but there's no way he's taking off without making sure Gina's okay. When he opens the window he sniffs the air, trying to detect any new scents that would indicate someone else had been in the apartment. He doesn't smell anything funny though.

"Gina?" he calls out, not wanting to startle her. "It's me. Natsu. And Happy too. You in here?" He opens the bedroom door and heads into the hallway cautiously. "Just don't… hit me with anything, okay? Gina?" _Why isn't she answering?…_ Natsu starts to feel sick, and runs full out into the living room.

"Whoa…" Happy says from over his shoulder.

"Whoa what?" Natsu says, confused, with his eyes scanning the room again and again. "I don't see anything."

"I know," Happy replies. "Wasn't she coming home sick? It doesn't even look like she's been here. I mean look… her bed on the couch hasn't even been touched."

"Yeah," Natsu mumbles, lifting the bedsheets to his nose for a whiff. "These smell more like Lucy's laundry detergent than they do of Gina. She didn't do more than sit here."

"Why wouldn't she have come home?" Happy asks in a worried tone. "And why did you ask to come up here in the first place, anyway?"

"I thought I saw someone sneaking out of the building, but I wasn't sure. I wanted to make sure Gina was okay," he explained.

"Are you sure you saw someone?"

Natsu heads back to the bedroom window, and looks out into the moonlight.

"There!" he whisper-shouts at Happy, pointing to the bridge.

"I see 'em!" Happy shouts. "But who is that?"

Whoever they are, they're dressed in baggy black clothing that fades in with the night and doesn't give much away about their figure. They don't appear to be running though, just casually strolling towards the edge of town. Natsu inhales again deeply, but all he can smell is Gina's delicious scent and the awful stink of Ming. He shakes his head, and then slaps it between his hands for a second - trying to overcome the scent of her.

"Ugh!" he grunts in frustration. "I can't smell anything but Gina and Ming."

"Why is that not surprising…" Happy quips in a sarcastic tone.

"Hey, layoff!" Natsu fires back. "I don't know who that is, but I sure as hell am going to find out!"

* * *

Gina strolls up to the ticket counter and requests one ticket to Mapleton. The train leaves in just under 5 minutes, so she heads straight on board and takes her seat. She keeps getting the eerie sensation that she's being followed, but she hasn't spotted anything out of the ordinary.

Her cat-burglar outfit is probably a tad over-dramatic, but she didn't think anyone would recognize her in it, and so far she's been proven right. She'd passed by both Elfman and Cana, and they hadn't even spared her a second glance. She is hoping to slip out of town and back without any unnecessary questions, and if folks spot her coming back in - she'll just explain that she made a trip out of town to see an old friend.

 _For the last time,_ she thinks, choking back tears yet again.

The message she'd received at the guild hall had been from Gavin Hardbrook, her first lover now transformed by time into an elderly man. His message asked her to come be with him at the end, and she doesn't know why she's agreeing, but she can't stay away. She doesn't want members of Fairy Tail asking questions about why he'd send for her after "meeting her" on the last job, or why it will break her heart to see him die.

 _Death…_

If she were human, she would most likely have died from old age herself already. Nymphs live for hundreds of years. Humans are so frail and so bright - like fireflies. They come and go in droves before a nymph even begins to feel the effects of aging. Nymph Queens and Sires live even longer after becoming a mated pair. Gina's parents are well over 600 years old. Her mother was surprisingly only about 30 years older than her father. She met him when she was still very young for any nymph, but then again her mother was always lucky. Gina doesn't seem to have inherited that same luck, and she finds it completely unfair that they would pressure her as they have been when they obviously found a love match themselves.

 _Surely, they appreciated the importance of it? But no._

It's all about 'responsibility' and 'priorities' to them. Gina is just much too picky.

Now she's boarding a train to face her demons head-on, with no one at her side at all. She can't tell Gavin she's found love anywhere; not really. She's never been allowed to be who she truly is. She could love many of them, like Gavin, as the 'human' woman for a time. But just like him, they would notice if too much time passed and she never aged alongside them. She posed a physical danger to them if her fire magic was ever the least bit uncontrolled, and fire mages were worse!

She has yet to meet one who isn't obsessed with getting stronger, hotter, more powerful and more lethal. So far, Natsu seems different, but she can still feel that drive within him. He has a drive to win at all costs, and a habit of picking fights just to see who is stronger. What would he do if he learned that Gina's very life-force could feed his flames to a brighter level than he's ever known? She's come to believe that he wouldn't want to hurt her. But could he help himself, or would the thirst for power - or even just his thirst for fire itself - win out? She still isn't willing to take that risk.

She's glad that Gavin seems to have found happiness, and built a truly amazing life for himself after she decided to move on. Part of her can't wait to see him again, and part of her never wants this train ride to end. She grips her bag a little tighter in her lap, as she thinks about the surprise she's packed for him.

* * *

"Natsu!" Happy's voice starts to come in through the haze in his head. "Natsu wake up! Snap out of it or we're going to lose her!"

"What?" he mumbles. _Gina! Right!_ He rolls over and gets to his feet shakily, fighting back the waves of nausea that are slowly subsiding now that the train has stopped. _God damn train. Why did it have to be a train?!_

He'd almost decided to turn around and go right back home when he'd seen Gina buying her ticket. It wasn't obvious that it was her beneath the ridiculous get-up she was wearing, but it hadn't taken very long following her before he'd realized the reason he couldn't shake her scent. He was following it! He'd felt really dumb then, but his curiosity was peaked.

There's no way he's turning back without figuring out what is with all the weird super-spy crap she seems to be pulling.

"Where are we?" he asks Happy. They'd been bad, and snuck aboard the train because he had no idea where they would get off, and he couldn't afford tickets all the way to the end of the line.

"Mapleton," Happy says. "Weird huh? This is where we just came for the job with all the little brats in that mansion."

"Oh yeah…" he mumbles, gagging on another wave of nausea as he stumbles off the train. "Where did she go?"

"She went into the women's bathroom over there," Happy points. Then Gina comes walking out, and the transformation has Natsu's jaw hitting the ground by his feet.

"Wow!" he hears Happy shout, and he instinctively grabs him out of the air and throws a hand over his mouth as he ducks behind someone's baggage cart.

He can't take his eyes off her, though, and after a moment he lets Happy slide from his grip as he drinks in the sight of her. Gina is always beautiful, even compared to most of the Fairy Tail women; who are frequently asked to model for various magazines in showy bikinis. But this is something he hasn't seen yet, and it puts all the other women of Fairy Tail to shame.

Gina comes strolling out with a proud expression on her face; shoulders back and head held high - almost snobby. Her hand is resting on her cocked hip, and there is a smug smirk to her luscious lips. Her makeup is the first thing he's ever seen on her that successfully makes her look older - maybe even a little older than him, but in an incredibly sexy way.

She changed clothes in the bathroom, and appears to have abandoned the bag she carried earlier. She now wears a rust-orange, silk evening gown. It has beautiful flowing bell sleeves that extend to her fingertips with diamond cut-out patterns running along the upper edge. It has a square-cut neckline with high half collar around the back. The bodice is fitted to show off her ample curves in the front, and the back is windowed to show the smooth clear skin of her upper back. The dress has a high waistline, just beneath her breasts, where the skirt flows out like ripples of living fire all the way to her ankles.

She is wearing extremely high, thin, and dangerous-looking heels of the same color. Her hair is pinned up high on the back of her head in a riot of inky black curls, and there seems to be some kind of small glittering red stones woven into the locks against her head. Ming is draped around her neck like some kind of smelly fur ruff.

 _How long was I out of it?!_ his mind reels in shock.

Suddenly, Happy is in his face waving his arms. "Earth to Natsu!" he shouts in an annoyed tone. "If you don't blink, your eyes are going to get stuck like that!"

 _Oh… they are burning, aren't they._ Natsu blinks rapidly before dodging around Happy to catch sight of Gina again. "Where the hell do you think she's going dressed like that?"

"I don't know," Happy mumbles, "but I think this is probably why she _didn't_ wear that when she was leaving town."

"No kidding…" Natsu mumbles, rubbing the back of his head. "I would've had to clobber some morons tailing her, that's for sure."

"Says the number one moron tailing her," Happy points out with a devilish grin.

"Hey!" he objects. "I didn't know why she was being so weird. She could have been in trouble."

"She IS trouble," Happy objects. "So what are we going to do now? The next train home isn't until tomorrow morning."

"Well…" Natsu says with a cheeky grin, "We might as well see where she's going, right? I mean we've come all this way. Maybe she's going to a fancy party!"

"Right…" Happy says sarcastically. "Oh well, I won't object to food!"

* * *

Gina presses the intercom button at the mansion's big front gate.

"Yes?" A somber voice comes through the intercom.

"My name is Aegina Asterope," Gina replies. "Gavin Hardbrook sent for…"

"Please, come in, Miss," the voice cuts her off, and a loud buzzing sound emanates from the gate before it pops open.

Gina approaches the house slowly, feeling dread slide into the pit of her stomach. Gavin's daughter-in-law is sitting on a bench outside, and appears to be crying. Every staff member from the household that she passes looks withdrawn and sad. Even the butler that greets her at the door doesn't say a word before ushering her inside, and straight up to a room upstairs. He shuts her inside the room before she's even gotten her bearings.

"Wait, Sir I…"

"You came…" a grizzled voice whispers from inside the dark room before chuckling and then coughing loudly.

"Gavin?" Gina asks, spinning around and approaching the bed; feeling instant relief. "Good heavens… with how everyone was acting, I thought I was too late."

Gavin looks even more withered than the last time she'd seen him, and incredibly pale. He has his bedsheets pulled up to his chin. His eyes are tired, but he has his classic mischievous grin on his face.

"You were," he says with a sad note in his voice, "Well, everyone thinks you were."

"What?!" she whispers in shock. "What are you talking about?"

"I faked my death this morning," he explains, looking terribly guilty.

"Why on Earth would you do that?" she asks in a disapproving tone. "Your family…"

"My family thinks I am gone, just as they would have tomorrow morning anyway," he objects with the sternest expression she's ever seen. "You know how much I hate this process! Besides, an old man should be allowed his fun."

"Fun?" Gina asks in disbelief. "How is this fun?"

"Well… honestly it was rotten," he admits. "Seeing them take it so hard has been difficult. But I mean getting to see you again, _young lady_."

He struggles to sit up, and Gina is quick to reach out and help him.

"Thank you dear…" he chuckles. He then looks into her eyes with his determined expression. "Now, Gina. Please tell me the truth. This is my last night on this Earth. I know it as surely as I know the sun will rise in the morning anyway. Please. Tell me how this is possible." He gestures to her. "You look stunning by the way. Testing this old heart of mine."

"Oh, Gavin," she sighs, sitting down on the edge of the bed, "I never wanted to lie to you, but I… I couldn't…"

"Sweetheart," he says, slipping into his old pet name for her, "I don't need you to feel badly. I have lived a good life, but I'll be damned if I let myself die this curious! You're as beautiful as the day I first met you in town. And who is the cute little fellow around your neck, anyway?"

Gina glances down at Ming, who is staring at the old man with his own mischievous grin. She'd almost completely forgotten him.

"Oh," she says with a smile. "This is Ming. He's a friend I was given by family many years ago. He… keeps me out of trouble. But you'd better watch your silverware."

Gavin lets out a rich laugh, and points to the dresser at the end of the large bedroom. "Well tell him he can dig through my wife's jewelry to his heart's content."

In a flash Ming is gone, and skittering around in the drawers.

"What are you really?" Gavin asks again. "Not human, I would guess. Unless I really have lost my mind, and my staff are just too kind to inform me. As your former partner, I feel as if I have some right to ask that at least."

Gina can't help but smile. "No. You're right. Are you afraid you were seduced by a demon?"

"Definitely not," he grins, and Gina is shocked to see he's also completely toothless. She can't help but laugh at the absurdity of her life. "An angel perhaps?"

"No. Gavin, I'm a fire nymph," she finally blurts, feeling a terrible weight lift from her shoulder at the admission.

Gavin looks shocked, and then skeptical. "Nymphs are just an old legend…"

Gina holds up her hand and allows it to transition to her natural state, waggling her flaming fingers at him. He looks doubly shocked, and then begins to laugh and clap like a little boy. She begins to giggle at him as he really gets excited, and begins to wave his arms around as if dancing. Suddenly, he looks weary and flops back against the bed.

"Gavin!" she cries, running up to him and pressing her now-non-flaming hand against his face. "Are you alright?"

"Alright?" he croaks. "My dear, I'm wonderful. I'm an old stupid man, who lived his entire wonderful life without ever realizing he'd made love to a mythical creature. I'm absolutely splendid!"

Gina can feel love radiate from him, and yanks her hand back as she feels the familiar draw of power.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" he asks, looking confused as a sweat breaks out against his brow.

"I shouldn't touch you," she admits, sitting back down on the edge of the bed. "A nymph draws life force from a human through affection. I could kill you."

"Ahhhh…" he says with a weak chuckle. "Now that makes sense. I always knew you wore me out, but I just believed it to be great passion. I was worried after you recoiled from me the last time you were here. But please, do not draw away when death is so close at my door."

"Gavin, it's not a joke, I could really…"

"I'm dying anyway, foolish woman," he laughs. "Let an old man have his fun, and stop worrying over my every breath. I am dying tonight. That is the truth. But by God… I am going to squeeze every drop of fun out of this life that I can. In fact… grab my wheelchair from the corner. I'd like to spend my last night beneath the stars!"

* * *

"Weird…" Happy whispers, setting Natsu down on the hilltop beside the big mansion.

"No kidding…" Natsu mumbles, sniffing the air again. He could swear he caught a whiff of her up here a moment ago. "There she is! Wait… who's the old geezer?"

"I don't know," Happy replies. "I don't remember seeing him the last time we were here. Did she say she knew someone here before?"

"Not that I remember…" Natsu says scratching his head.

Gina and the old man are out on a balcony on the highest level of the mansion. The old man is in a wheelchair, smiling a big toothless grin while clapping his hands. Gina is… dancing. At first she holds her arms up like she's dancing with an invisible partner, twirling and spinning around the man's wheelchair. It's difficult to hear them from this far away, but not impossible.

" _Good heavens, I miss that beautiful sight," the old man chuckles. "I will admit it was more fun, though, when I got to dance too."_

"What are they talking about?" Happy whispers, and Natsu jumps at the sudden volume.

"Not sure," he mumbles, "but it definitely sounds like they know each other. I guess he used to be her dance partner or something."

"That old guy?" Happy scoffs. "She must have been dancing on his toes as a little kid."

"Yeah, maybe…" Natsu begins, but then trails off as the old man takes Gina's hand and kisses it… oddly. _Uhhhhh…_ his mind pauses completely.

" _You always were the most beautiful woman wherever you went," the old man chuckles._

" _And you were always a shameless flatterer…" Gina giggles in response._

Gina leans back seductively against the railing of the balcony, arching her beautiful spine with a slightly wicked grin. Then she dashes over to the wheelchair, grabs one of the small thin sheets off the man's lap, and begins to dance completely differently. She holds the sheet up in front of her face, shielding everything but her eyes from the man. She dances and twirls, letting the sheet flow around her like a wide ribbon; but there is a distinctly seductive feel to her movements.

"Natsu…" Happy mumbles with a squeak. "This is getting weird…"

"Shhhh…" is all Natsu can manage.

His eyes are glued to her. Her dress flows around her legs like ribbons of caramel. The inky black curls of her hair are teasing along the back of her neck as she dances. The sheet is just a stupid sheet, but _man…_ he's never seen a woman use a sheet like _that_ before. Her smile is stupefying and he can hear the slight sound of her laughter trailing across the distance to tickle his senses. Suddenly, she skips up onto the edge of the balcony and continues dancing. Natsu's entire body coils, and he barely keeps from springing for her.

 _She's gonna fall!_ he thinks in panic, but her footsteps are light and sure.

Natsu can feel his entire body responding to her dance, but the fact that she's dancing for the old man is freaking him out completely. When her dance is finished, she bows with a flourish, and leaps back down onto the balcony floor. The old man is clapping so hard his hands may fall off.

" _Splendid! Just splendid!" the old man praises._

"What a pervert…" Happy says in disapproval.

"Seriously…" Natsu says, swallowing hard. "That old guy is old enough to be her grandpa."

"I meant you, stupid," Happy quips.

"Hey," Natsu objects, "She… I mean… I… Oh just shut up!" He crosses his arms over his chest defensively.

After a moment, the old man begins to cough severely, and Gina jumps up to push his wheelchair back inside. She shuts the balcony door behind her, and Natsu loses his ability to hear them. He watches as she opens the curtains on the huge bay windows and doors to the moonlight. She helps the old man into his bed and beneath his bed sheets, then she crawls up onto the side of his bed beside him.

"What's she doing now?" Happy asks.

"Why the heck are you asking me?" Natsu objects with frustration. "You can see what I can see…"

* * *

"Gavin…" Gina hesitates, leaning into his side and hating the feel of the life energy draining from him. "Have you enjoyed your life?"

"Oh my yes," Gavin sighs, taking her hand in his own and patting it gently. "I will admit I was very sad after you left. I never quite understood what made you feel like you needed too, but I finally have that answer now - which is much more than I ever expected before I die. I met my wife only a couple of years later. I _wish_ you could have met her. She was as radiant as the sun, and twice as warm. She gave me four handsome sons, and only went ahead of me a few years ago. I've lived a full and amazing life. Truly."

"I'm glad," Gina whispers, with tears escaping from the corners of her eyes.

"What about you, sweetheart? Surely, you must have a love in your life."

"I have not been so lucky," Gina admits with a sniff. "I have found people who I loved, and who loved me, but it was never meant to be. I cannot stay with someone long-term unless they are a fire wizard. It's what my people want for me, but I haven't found one that I love, or trust. I honestly have been alone for a long time now."

"I'm sorry to hear that, my dear," he says with true sadness in his voice. "A life is empty without great love in it. But you look young still, and if legends are indeed true, your people live many generations, correct?"

"Yes," Gina admits, wondering once again how much time she truly has left. She hates the strength she feels just soaking in his care for her. "Are you… afraid?"

"Of dying, you mean?" Gavin clarifies. "Heavens no. I have no regrets. I return to the ground, and to my family now. I haven't missed out on a thing."

Gina was surprised to realize that she _was_ afraid. Frightened of dying alone. Frightened of living without ever being able to truly be herself with a lover, or finding the kind of love Gavin found.

"I'm afraid, Gavin," she whispers, with tears flowing freely now.

"Good heavens," he says, looking into her eyes. "Why?"

"I don't want to die alone," she admits with her voice cracking. "But I don't want to watch everyone that I love die around me."

"Sweetheart," he says with a warm smile, beginning to show true weakness now. "Don't be frightened. We all live, and we all die. I am not unhappy. This gift you've given me is a delight. I am a spoiled old man. I appreciate if you will miss me when I am gone, but you have no need to die alone. The sadness I see in your eyes was never there when I knew you all those years ago. I don't know what you've seen over the years, but you have to _decide_ to keep _living_. Please, don't give up on love just because it hasn't found you yet. You _have_ a perfect match out there somewhere. You have to keep your hope alive."

Gavin begins to cough terribly once again, and Gina simply holds him as she feels the last of his strength slip from his body.

"Don't give up," he whispers.

Then, he is gone.


	10. Chapter 10 - Breakdown

Natsu watches Gina walk into the garden back in Magnolia; slowly approaching the big tree in the center with her arms hanging limp at her sides as if paralyzed. He follows behind from a distance, just watching and wondering what she will do. He could tell when the old man died because she'd looked like she was trying not to scream inside the house. She seems to have cared for the old guy a lot, and held his body and cried for a long time.

Natsu had half expected her to cry some more on the train ride home this morning. Instead, she'd been stone faced and completely zoned out, and is now wandering around like a zombie.

"Do you think she's gonna be okay?" Happy asks in a whisper, sounding like he's going to cry himself. "Why isn't she going home?"

"I don't know," Natsu admits. He still doesn't really know her that well, but she sure doesn't seem okay.

Suddenly, Gina drops to her knees in the damp soil, bracing an arm against the tree's wide trunk. Her shoulders begin to shake, and Natsu becomes frustrated that he can't see her face from this viewpoint behind her. He also hates not knowing if he should just run to her like he would do for Lucy if she were crying. He's not sure if she'll be angry with him. She seems to get angry easily. He starts circling around, trying to get a better view while staying out of sight. A couple of random people out on the walkways this early in the morning have already begun to stare at her odd behavior.

As he circles, Gina drops further; clawing her fingers into the damp soil in front of her with both hands, and pressing her face within inches of the ground. Her teeth look clenched together hard enough to risk breaking them.

 _Ah hell,_ he thinks when he can finally see her tear-streaked face, _she IS crying._

"What do we do?" Happy mumbles sadly.

"I don't know!" he spits back in a hoarse whisper, more frustrated with himself than Happy.

Suddenly, Gina shouts. It's a sound caught somewhere in between grief and anger. She sits back upright on her heels, and begins tearing one of the pretty bell sleeves off of her dress.

"What's she doing?" Happy shouts as Gina starts tearing the second sleeve off.

"Beats me…" he mumbles.

Natsu's eyes widen as Gina gets shakily to her feet and begins tearing at the entire dress itself. She grabs the collar and begins shredding, ripping it straight down the center in both the front and the back.

 _Holy shit!_ he thinks in panic. _She's gonna wind up as naked as Gray in the middle of the garden!_

"Gina stop!" he shouts, but she doesn't even react like she's heard him.

He starts sprinting right at her, as she lets out another strangled and angry shout. The dress has refused to tear beyond a seam just under her breasts, and she instead begins tearing at the skirt. Then she grabs the hair clip out of her hair and tosses it to the wet ground, with her beautiful black tresses spilling out haphazardly. Just before he reaches her, her voice finally chokes on a sob.

"Gina!" he shouts to her again, grabbing her wrists.

"Let me go!" she screams, not looking him in the eyes; attempting to wrench her wrists out of his hands.

"Look, I know you're upset, but this isn't a good idea," he says, trying to get through to her.

Suddenly her eyes snap open and look up to his face, as if in shock.

"Natsu?" she mumbles with a heart-wrenching tremble to her voice.

Before he can even answer her, her body collapses again as if all her strength has left her. He catches her around the waist, halfway to the ground, and tries to break her fall as much as he can. After she's plopped down onto the wet soil again he sits down gently beside her, hoping she will let him talk to her or something… anything.

Next she does something even more bizarre. She throws her arms around his neck, enveloping him in the scent of chocolate and that stupid weasel thing, and presses her face against his neck.

"Oh, Natsu…" she whispers.

Then she finally, truly breaks. She begins to wail like a woman who had lost a lover or family member. Her arms around his neck tighten as if she thinks he will be ripped away, and she has to cling with all the strength she possesses. Her wails aren't the gentle sobs he has heard from Lucy before. They are gut-wrenching, crippling screams. They remind him of the way Mirajane sounded after Lisanna's funeral. The very thought brings tears to his eyes, and with her lying there losing her mind in his arms, he doesn't care if a couple of them escape down his own cheeks.

A movement out of the corner of his eye catches his attention as a storekeeper opens his door to see what all the commotion is about. More and more people begin to stop and stare, and Natsu is overwhelmed with the need to hide her from their prying eyes.

 _It's none of their business…_ his thoughts hiss. _They should just leave her alone. They don't know anything about her, or that old guy!_

He scoops her up with his arms, resting his back against the thick bark of the tree, and pulling her more fully into his lap. Her screams and sobs continue as he tucks her head protectively beneath his chin and wraps his arms up behind her neck and back. He glares out at the small throng that has gathered, and a few of them are smart enough to skitter off.

"It's okay," he whispers into her ear, stroking his fingers gently through her beautiful black hair. "You know that Gina, right? You're gonna be okay."

He presses his face against her hair, and is comforted to get a whiff of her true scent for the first time in weeks. _God she smells like heaven…_ He glances around, self-consciously, and notices her little weasel thing sitting a short distance away with what he can only assume are sad eyes. Happy paws over to Ming slowly, and reaches a paw out to place on Ming's shoulder. The small creature hangs its head.

Gina cries for what feels like hours, but Natsu is sure it's a much shorter time. Everyone always tells him he has no patience, and he wants her to feel better _now_. He wants to make her pain stop, but feels helpless to do anything but sit here, with water soaking up from the ground and into their clothes.

As Gina's sobs slowly begin to lessen in strength, he catches sight of Elfman standing on the edge of the crowd. The big man is standing there watching them with his fists balled at his sides; crying even worse than Lucy would be. When Natsu locks eyes with him, Elfman brushes some of the tears from his eyes, and Natsu is surprised to remember that he has a few of his own on his face. He remembers hearing something Elfman said once.

 _Manly men are weak to womanly tears!_ Elfman had proclaimed, begging Lucy to stop crying.

That makes Natsu feel slightly better about the whole thing, but he still has the overwhelming desire to hide Gina from all of them. Then he realizes she is no longer sobbing.

"Hey Gina," he says looking down at her face against his chest. "Are you…"

But she is out cold. She's cried herself to sleep right on his shoulder. Natsu feels something warm and… weird… stir inside of his chest. Her face is peaceful, despite the tears still outlined by the mascara that has run down her cheeks.

"What the hell happened?" he hears Elfman choke from up above them. Ming responds to the big man by running up his pants leg and curling up on his shoulder. "Hey there little guy."

"A friend of hers died tonight I think," Natsu tries to explain in a whisper. "I'm not really sure, but I think that's what happened."

"Man that's rough," Elfman replies in a subdued tone. "Do you think you can get her home?"

"Yeah," Natsu sighs, standing up and lifting Gina into his arms bridal-style. She is surprisingly light for her size. "I'll get her back to the apartment. She's worn out."

"Be careful with her," Elfman stresses.

Natsu carries Gina all the way back to the apartment as gently as he can manage; trying not to wake her. The feeling of her in his arms is making him feel funny. He feels savagely overprotective, as if itching for a fight, but he also feels warm and happy in a way that makes absolutely no sense at all. When he gets to Lucy's door, he nods his head to Happy, who manages to fly in through Lucy's outside window and get her apartment door open from the inside.

When the door opens, Lucy is hot on Happy's heels and looks like she was about to scream at him like normal, but one look at Gina's limp form in Natsu's arms silences her. She just stares at them in surprise with her mouth hanging open. Gray is already here apparently, sitting at Lucy's desk in just his pants. When Gray catches sight of them, he jumps to his feet.

"What the hell…" Gray asks under his breath, scrutinizing Natsu's every move.

 _Back off lover boy!_ Natsu spits inside his head, glaring at Gray. _You should have been there for her if you cared so much!_

He doesn't care right now that Gray doesn't even know Gina left last night. He's jealous of the relationship they share, and right now, he just wants to keep Gina's pain for himself. He protected her, not Gray. She cried on _his_ shoulder.

Natsu walks over to the couch without a word, and gently lays Gina down as Happy pulls back the blankets that were left there from the night before. He gently cradles her head in his arm as he rests the big, fluffy pillow beneath it. She doesn't even stir as he pulls the blanket up to her chin. Then, just to spite Gray, he kisses her forehead tenderly; as if he has a right to.

"Natsu…" she mumbles softly, and he can't help the smile that breaks out across his face.

 _Natsu,_ he thought. _Not Gray. She knows it's me!_

He feels as giddy as a schoolboy when he turns around, and then feels like he's been doused with Juvia's water after seeing Lucy's face. She is staring at Gina with unshed tears in her eyes, biting her nails.

"What the hell is going on, Natsu?" Gray asks in a dangerous tone.

Natsu wants to scream at him, but he won't risk waking Gina. Instead, he shoves his hands in his pockets and walks out of the apartment; heading for the guild hall.

"Gray, your shirt…" Lucy whispers, and Natsu hears her grab her keys as she follows him out the door.

"Damn," Gray mutters, following suit.

* * *

Natsu walked the entire way to the guild hall without another word to Lucy and Gray. He's not sure what he should tell them. _Gina didn't seem to want people to know she left last night… but then she freaked out in the middle of the garden… so what the hell am I supposed to tell everyone?_

He walks up to the bar and just lets his forehead collide with the bar top, hearing Mirajane slide a drink up to him. Smells like his favorite beer. He feels suddenly exhausted.

"I'm sorry to hear about Gina, Natsu," Mira's concerned voice calls out, as he can feel her touch his shoulder gently. "Elfman told me what happened."

 _Oh… well that's convenient at least,_ he thinks with a heavy sigh.

"You have about 1 minute…" he hears Gray's voice storm up behind him after the guild hall door slams open again, "to tell me what the hell happened flame-brain!"

"Gray… hold up," Lucy says in her diplomatic voice.

Natsu's temper flares, and he spins around to face Gray.

"One minute huh, ice prince?!" he shouts back, holding up a flaming fist and itching to punch Gray; just for the sake of having something to hit. "I don't see why I have to explain anything!"

"You don't see why?!" Gray screams in disbelief. "You bring Gina home looking like that, and you don't see why we wanna know what the HELL happened?!"

"Now hold up a minute you two…" Elfman cuts in, placing himself between the two irate mages. "I think we all just need to take a minute to breathe and talk this out like men. Okay?"

"I don't have to justify myself to this _loser_!" Natsu objects. "If you cared about her so much, you should have _been there!_ You went out on a job and left her here, so don't blame me for stepping up to the plate and taking care of her when you weren't around, jerk!"

Gray suddenly looks confused. "What the hell are you talking about?! What does me going on a job have to do with anything? Why…"

"SHUT UP!" Elfman finally shouts over them. "Look, I know you two hotheads care about Gina. We all do. But I _saw_ what happened Gray, and Natsu didn't do anything wrong. And Natsu… stop being angry with Gray for wanting to know what happened."

"Natsu," Lucy chimes in with a tremble in her voice. "We just want to know what happened to her. Did someone hurt her? Please tell me if..."

"No," Natsu says, cutting her off and feeling his anger deflate. "No one hurt her. She just… was really upset."

"Being upset did that kinda damage to her clothes?" Gray scoffs.

"Actually yeah," Elfman chimes in again. "I was there, and I saw what happened. Gina came walking into the garden looking real out of it. Then she… freaked out. She was tearing everything up; her clothes, her hair, even the ground. I didn't know what could have made her so upset until Natsu told me later. The only reason she wasn't in worse shape is because Natsu ran in and stopped her. I don't know what Natsu said, but it snapped her out of her rage, and she broke down crying instead. He stepped in… like a real man… and held her until she cried herself to sleep. Then he brought her home. I came back here with Ming to tell Mira what happened."

Elfman points over to the small ferret lying on the bar top.

"Is _he_ okay?" Lucy asks in surprise.

"I'm not sure," Elfman replies, scratching the back of his head. "Must have been hard on the little guy seeing her so upset. Animals have feelings too you know."

"And apparently binge drinking habits," Cana chimes in. "The little rat drank my beer and then passed out." She pokes him with her finger; annoyed.

"So what made her so upset?" Lucy asks, looking at Natsu expectantly.

 _Shit…_ "I, uh…" Natsu struggles with his conscience. "I don't know how much she'd want me to say. I don't think she even realizes I know. It's just… I think someone she cared about died tonight, okay? Well… I mean… someone did die tonight, and it seems an awful lot like she cared. That's as much as I think I should say."

"Oh God, that's terrible," Lucy whimpers.

"It doesn't seem like the kind of thing she wants people asking about, though," Natsu feels the need to clarify. "So we should probably just… let her handle it however she wants to."

"Of course," Mira's soft voice agrees. "Death is different for everyone."

Gray stares at the floor, and says, "Look man, I'm sorry if I…"

"It doesn't matter…" Natsu interrupts, not wanting to admit that Gray has a right to demand to know what happened to his girl. "She's home. She's safe. Lucy, you should probably give Ming a lift home. Problem solved, and I feel dead on my feet. So if you don't mind… I'm out."

"Sure thing, little buddy," Elfman says, patting him on the shoulder as he heads for the door.

* * *

Bickslow and Freed sit at a table in the far corner of the room, watching the drama unfold over at the bar.

"That woman causes trouble wherever she goes…" Freed muses.

He pulls his long green hair over his shoulder with a huff before resting his hand back on his saber. Bickslow's souls float around him and chant, "Trouble, Trouble!"

"Yeah, same old story, huh?" Bickslow laughs. "I have to admit though… I never thought anyone would see Gina freak out like _that_. Almost wish I'd been there. Do you think we should tell him?"

Freed rolls his eyes dramatically. "Yes, I suppose. It's our responsibility to keep Laxus informed, and this is something he would be very angry if we left out… as much as I would prefer he not be bothered with it."

"So… what do you think of the arrangement she has with the old man?" Bickslow asks.

"I think he has no idea how much trouble he's invited, then again… it _is_ Makarov we're talking about so he's probably giddy about the idea." Freed turns to Bickslow, narrowing his eyes. "You _knew_ didn't you?"

"Of course, I did," Bickslow barks out his rough laugh. "I see souls, remember? I knew she wasn't human from the beginning, and I told Laxus as much. He didn't care - said the _perks_ were worth it. Of course… then when she left him and he went bananas, he suddenly demanded that I tell him everything I knew. Problem is, I didn't know _what_ she was. I'd seen it before. Makes sense now why it was always women, but I didn't know she was a nymph. Didn't even think they were real." Bickslow chuckles again. "Go Laxus."

"Do you think he'll try to come see her?" Freed wonders, sounding slightly excited.

"Not sure," Bickslow replies with a shrug. "I don't think he's hung up on her like he used to be, but he probably wouldn't pass up the chance for some tail. He can't come here though, so it may be pointless."

"She's not _always_ at Fairy Tail, though," Freed points out.

"Awww…" Bickslow croons falsely. "Freed, I didn't think you cared."

* * *

Gina stands in the shower, letting the water run over her skin. She's been in here for long enough that the hot water ran out a half an hour ago, but she just lets flames lap across the surface of her skin to heat it as it lands. She planned on stepping out when her tears ran dry, but that hasn't happened yet.

Ming is seated in the soap dish that hangs from the shower-head. He's been busily grooming himself and shaking out his fur again and again. He loves to play in water. Suddenly he turns to her and reaches out, placing his little paws on either side of her face. His eyes beg her to snap out of it. She hasn't left the apartment since Natsu brought her home three days ago.

"I'm sorry, Ming," she sighs. "I just… I don't know where to go from here."

Ming fluffs out his fur in frustration, waving his little arms, chittering, and gesturing out to the living room.

"Yes, I know Natsu helped me," she argues with him, once again. "I'm not saying he's not a good man. I'm saying I don't know what I want anymore. We've been through this."

Ming places his paws on either side of his face and swoons in frustration. Then he curls up in a ball and places his nose into his fur - effectively giving her the silent treatment.

Ming and his family members have been partners with her family for many generations. She has known him since he was first born. He has never agreed with the pressure her family has placed on her, and has always been more than delighted to help her stall them in whatever means was necessary. However, since the incident in the garden… Ming has been practically waving pom-poms for team Natsu Dragneel, and insisting that she give him a chance at being her Sire.

There is no WAY she is ready for that. Not now.

Ming is furious with her. He knows how sick she has become, and he knows that any lover she would take - as long as their affection was genuine - would strengthen her. But she's no longer sure she wants to keep living at all.

Living is painful.

Watching Gavin die was heartbreaking, but feeling his final energy drain from him and into her was unbearable. Then in the garden, she felt Natsu's strength leach into her even as she wanted to fade away. It was cruel irony to feel his affection for her stronger than ever when she didn't want to feel it at all. Ming watched it happen, and began rooting for Natsu the next morning; convinced that the dragon-slayer can bring her back from the illness she's fallen into. He's even more furious at her continued use of Gray to stay hidden.

The truth is… she's tired of this game. She doesn't like the idea of watching friend after friend, and lover after lover die in an endless march of time. She's always believed she wasn't cut out to be a nymph - much less a queen. She'd rather just fade away, and hope the world decides to replace her with a woman more fit to the task. Someone who can handle it better.

 _So what if Natsu could give me a little more life? A lot of people could. The mere fact that he's a fire mage doesn't justify seducing him into my misery so I can live off of him._

She finally shuts off the water, wraps herself in a towel, and heads for Lucy's bedroom. She mentally picks out her outfit for today - t-shirt and shorts, just like yesterday - and begins getting dressed. Ming is chattering like mad, skittering in behind her.

"What?" she asks, as he runs up and shakes water all over her and causes her to squeal. "Ugh! What was that for?"

He runs over to the bed and begins towing the blankets off it with his teeth. She decides to ignore his antics. She slips on her underclothes and tosses her towel aside after mussing it through her hair. She reaches into the dresser to pull out her t-shirt, and freezes when she sees a wide pair of black eyes staring back at her.

"Uhhh…" Natsu squeaks in apparent distress, as Ming continues pulling madly at his pink hair.

 _You little rat!_ Gina shrieks mentally, shutting her eyes and gritting her teeth. "Natsu…" she seethes.

"I… Uh…" Natsu seems to be at a complete loss for words, and just continues to stare at her.

With a sigh, she throws the t-shirt on over her head before finding the shorts and slipping them on as well. She'd forgotten that the dragon-slayer has an odd habit of sleeping in Lucy's bed whenever he feels like it. She hadn't even thought to check, but Ming obviously knew. Ming woke him up to gawk at her; apparently doing the job she refuses to. When she turns back around, Natsu's face is completely beet red, but he seems frozen in place.

She walks right up to him, and leans in to within a couple of inches of his nose, glaring intensely. She can feel lust pouring off him, but he looks mildly terrified. He backs up until his head hits the wall, and he can retreat no further.

Natsu swallows hard, "Gina I…"

"Shut up," she barks. "You utter one word about this to anyone, and I swear… you will regret it Natsu. Are we clear?"

"Yes…" he chokes, nodding intensely.

"Come here, you brat," she scolds, snatching Ming off Natsu's head and storming from the room as he chitters angrily and claws at her hand.

* * *

 _Holy crap…_ Natsu thinks with his heart racing wildly, watching Gina's gorgeous body storm out of the room with the little, smelly rat. _What just happened?!_

He'd stopped by to check on Gina after leaving the guild hall last night. She'd been moping around the apartment for days, and Lucy said she wasn't talking about what happened. He thought maybe he could cheer her up, but she'd been asleep by the time he got here. Lucy was out on a job with Cana and Levy - some weird casino gig that needed women-only - so he'd decided to crash in her bed instead of going all the way home.

The next thing he knew, something small and loud was tugging on his hair. When he opened his eyes, Gina was standing there dripping wet and half-naked with her back to him!

 _What the hell was I supposed to do?! Everything that started to come out of my mouth…_ Holy God. Am I awake? You're not wearing any clothes! Am I dreaming? You're fucking beautiful. Are those black lace? Wow, this is awkward. Are you mad? Ohhh….. God. If I died right now, it would SO be worth it. I know this looks bad, but… _All the wrong things to say to a furious half-naked woman!_

He couldn't tell who she was more mad at, him or Ming. _That stupid, smelly jerk! He did that on purpose!_ He suspected that Ming didn't like him, but he didn't think Ming wanted him dead. Natsu face-plants into the mattress with a groan. _What am I supposed to do NOW?_

Casually leaving would be the coward's way out, and Natsu is no coward. Besides, the entire reason he was here was to see if she would talk to him. Maybe mad would be better than sad. Natsu sits up and tries to shake off the panic. Then he stands, adjusts his pants to keep from embarrassing himself further, and boldly heads into the living room.

Gina is sitting at the small kitchen table, eating a bowl of cereal. There appears to be a bowl set aside for him too, but there's fire in it!

"Gee thanks!" he says in total surprise, scooping up the flame and scarfing it down. "What did you light this with? It tastes amazing!"

"My coin," she mumbles.

"Oh yeah," he replies, recognizing the flavor. "So… does this mean you've decided not to kill me?"

"Don't get too excited," she says with a glare. "I meant what I said. I WILL kill you if you tell anyone. But I know Ming woke you up. He was being an ass."

"Apparently he wants me dead more than you do," Natsu laughs.

Gina freezes with the spoon halfway to her mouth. Then she just stares off into space, and Natsu realizes he just shoved his foot in his mouth.

"Oh man, I'm sorry," Natsu flounders. "I didn't mean that. I mean… I'm sorry about your friend. Do you want to talk about it?"

"What?" Gina says, turning to him with surprise written all over her face. "How do you know about that?!"

"Uhhh… I followed you," he admits.

"When?"

"When you left Magnolia that night," he says, rubbing the back of his head. "I saw someone leaving Lucy's apartment and I was worried. Turned out to be you, but then I was worried that maybe you were in some kind of trouble. Then… when you met the old geezer, Happy and I were already stuck in Mapleton until morning, so… I…"

"You FOLLOWED me?!" she screeches. "You had no right!"

"I know," Natsu admits, holding his hands up in surrender. "Look, I feel bad. But I'm being honest! I want you to know you can talk to me about it."

"You're the reason Lucy knew someone had died!" she fumes.

"Yes, but that's all I told them," he tries to clarify. "How else was I supposed to explain you freaking out like that? But I told them if they wanted to know anything else, you'd have to tell them."

Gina grinds her teeth together, and tears begin to stream down her face.

"Hey, hey.." he jumps up, rushing to comfort her.

Gina pinches her bottom lip between her teeth and begins to sob. Natsu puts his arm around her, and she presses her tear-soaked face into his neck. Her beautiful scent taunts his senses.

 _Man I hate to see her cry like this…_ he thinks, feeling that warm sensation build in his chest again. _I_ _wish I could take her pain away._

Suddenly, Gina pushes him away. "Go away, Natsu."

"But I…" he objects, confused.

Suddenly, Ming hops up on the table making all kinds of noise and looking very angry. For a second, Natsu thinks the little guy is mad at him, but he turns to Gina in surprise when he realizes the little ferret is yelling at _her._

 _What the hell?_

"You stay out of it!" Gina screeches at him.

Ming flips backwards off the table, and lands on Natsu's shoulder - the smell making Natsu instantly queasy. He shakes his little fist, and continues chattering. Gina pushes herself away from the table, and heads back to the bedroom.

"Please," she says, pausing without turning back. "Both of you. Just go."


	11. Chapter 11 - Grief

"Hey, man…" Natsu hears Gray call, and raises his eyes to find the ice wizard on the road ahead of him. Gray is holding a bouquet of flowers and a small gift box, and asks, "You look sick. What's up?"

"Oh, nothin'" Natsu fibs, pointing to Ming. "You know how the little guy makes me queasy." _Those must be for Gina..._ he thinks, looking at the flowers.

"What the hell is Ming doing with you?" Gray asks, reaching out and scratching the little guy under his chin. "Is Gina okay?"

"Uhhh…" he hedges.

"It's alright, man," Gray sighs with a weary look. "I'm headed that direction anyway."

"Oh, that's… good," Natsu nods. _Damn._ "Real good."

"Catch you at the guildhall later?" Gray asks, moving to pass him.

 _What the hell am I doing?! Stop being such a selfish jerk!_ Natsu reaches out and grabs Gray's arm to stop him. "Gray wait."

"Huh?" Gray asks, turning back and looking concerned.

"Look… Gina's real mad at me," Natsu admits. "Ming's with me because she threw us both out."

"What the hell did you do?" Gray asks, looking irritated.

"I can't tell you that, because I promised her I wouldn't talk about it," he sighs with frustration, "but I swear I…"

"Stop," Gray says, holding his hand up. "I know you didn't hurt her Natsu, so don't even start explainin' that. You'd never do anything to hurt anyone in Fairy Tail, much less Gina. I know that, and I'm sorry if it seemed like I didn't the other night. I did. It just freaked me out to see her look like that."

"Thanks," Natsu replies, feeling a little better. _Come on… be a man about this._ "Look Gray, she needs to talk to someone real bad. I know what happened, so I was hoping she would talk to me, but… it was a stupid idea. Gina's never really been comfortable around me," he swallows thickly. "But she needs someone, and right now… that's you. I need you to promise me that you'll get her to talk about it."

"What happened to letting her handle it?" Gray challenges with that damn cocky smirk of his.

"I thought it was the right thing to do, but…" Natsu shrugs. "I'm not so sure. I mean, it's one thing for her to be mad at me. That's normal. But Ming? Those two are inseparable, and I could definitely see her being mad at him after…" _Don't tell him you saw Gina nearly naked..._ "everything, but not like _that_."

Ming starts chattering and waving his arms again, as if they would understand a word he's saying.

"Yeah, that is odd," Gray agrees, narrowing his eyes. "Even for her. Okay. I can't promise she'll agree, but I promise to try. I can't just snap my fingers and get her to do what I want, you know."

"Yeah, I know," Natsu says, turning away. "Just… let me know if you get through to her."

* * *

A knock sounds on the door and Gina struggles to stop crying.

"Go away, Natsu." She hears the front door open and close, and storms back into the living room to show him she's not up for his antics. "I said, go away damnit, or I'll…"

She stops short when she sees Gray standing in the living room, holding flowers and a small gift box.

"No offense, Gina," Gray says, turning to set the gifts down on Lucy's desk, "but if you think Natsu's going to run off after watching you come in here all teary-eyed, you don't know him very well. Now… why don't you tell me why you're mad at him, and what the tears are about." He turns back to her with his arms folded in front of his white, high-collared jacket.

"It has nothing to do with you, Gray," she says, turning to leave.

"Ok, let's just cut the crap," Gray spits, dropping all pretense of gentleness. "It's my business because you're both on my team. It's my business because I consider you a friend, and it's even more my business because I'm in on this little ruse with you - against my better judgement."

"What are you talking about?" Gina scoffs in return. "That's a completely different…"

"No it's not," he cuts her off again, shedding his jacket and shoes, and flopping down on the couch with his ankle crossed over his knee and his arm across it's back. He runs his hand through his hair in obvious frustration. "Natsu told us someone you cared about died, but frankly, even if he hadn't it would be obvious. Death has this effect on people, and just about everyone at Fairy Tail has had their own personal taste of it. He mentioned that you probably didn't even know that he knew about it, but seeing how pissed you are now I'm gonna guess he was honest with you."

"He had no right to…"

"Whoa, whoa!" Gray cuts her off again, and she grinds her teeth in frustration. "I don't even wanna know what the idiot did, okay? Let's face facts. That's not what this is about, is it? Now are you gonna trust me? Be my friend, and tell me who it was. Or do I have to figure that out on my own too?"

"Why do you even care?" Gina screeches, throwing her hands in the air. "You didn't know him!"

Gray sits back against the couch and closes his eyes for a moment. "Was he… uh…" he slips out of his shirt and pops his knuckles, keeping his eyes downcast. "An old boyfriend or somethin'?"

"He was an old man…" Gina scoffs, knowing Gray would eventually talk to Natsu, and hoping to imply that he was wrong. Gray's intuition was always alarming. "I've known him for most of my life."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Gray says. "Was it an accident, or…"

"No," Gina cuts him off this time. "No. He died of old age. It was actually the first time I'd really gotten to speak with him in a very long time."

"Ya know… Lucy would be a good person to talk to," Gray sighs. "She just lost her Dad recently. It was hard for her because she hadn't gotten to be there when it happened."

"Hmmm…" Gina mumbles with a nod, staring off into space.

"I uh…" Gray clears his throat and rubs the back of his neck nervously, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "I'm gonna take a really big risk of being a complete ass here, but… This isn't about the old man, is it?"

"What?" Gina asks, genuinely confused.

"How's your fever?" Gray stands up and walks over, placing his hand against her forehead. It stings, but not nearly as much as usual - a clear indication of how much energy she drew from Gavin as he died, and from Natsu as he held her in the garden. Tears begin to spill from her eyes again, and she turns them away from him. Gray mumbles gently, "It must have been really hard watching anyone die right now, huh?"

 _Damnit! I don't want to talk about this! I can't!_ Gina puts a hand over her mouth as a sob slips free, and she starts to head for the kitchen. Gray stops her by hooking a hand around her waist and pulling her back against him.

"If you think I'm gonna let you go cry in a corner by yourself, then you don't know _me_ very well either," he sighs, resting his head on top of hers.

The sting of his ice magic is barely present, even with his body fully against her. She hates knowing her life has been strengthened by the fading moments of her lover. She hates the idea of living through this over and over again. She will never admit it to Ming, but it's also the very reason she will not consider Natsu as her Sire. He's more intriguing and appealing than any other fire wizard she's met in decades, but she can see how much he loves his family here. She would be asking him to watch all of them die, one after another. He would watch everything he loves turn to dust in an endless march of time.

"I wish you would tell me how I could help," Gray groans, and Gina chokes back another sob as she realizes she can feel Gray's own care for her leech from him. His affection is true friendship, but the strength of it is surprising. "There's no way it has to be this way, Gina."

"I can't," she whispers with a sad smile, turning back towards him. "But… you're right." She laughs without humor. "I am having a hard time over Gavin because of what it could mean for me. I'm sorry you've all had to watch me mope around here like this."

"That's not the point," he objects. "If you would just tell me, I could…"

"You're already helping me," she says, wrapping her arms around him in a hug that has nothing to do with her temperature, and everything to do with friendship.

* * *

"Did you see the look on that guy's face?" Lucy laughs, grabbing the door handle on her apartment door and walking inside with Levy right behind her.

Levy McGarden is Fairy Tail's most adorable bookworm. She's one of the shortest women in Fairy Tail, just slightly smaller than Gina. She has long, bright blue hair, pulled back with a bright yellow patterned ribbon while the long sides hang free to frame her face. She is wearing a bright orange sundress with a white ribbon halter-top, and separate long orange sleeves. She, Cana, and Lucy have been out on a gig requiring them to act as undercover casino girls.

Lucy looks up and freezes in surprise, causing Levy to bump right into the back of her.

"Whoa, sorry I…" Levy's voice trails off as she catches sight of Gray and Gina too.

They're standing in the middle of the living room. Gina has her face pressed into Gray's chest, with her arms around him. His chin is resting on her head while his arms are wrapped around her middle. Gray looks up, and looks briefly panicked, but just stands there.

 _It's not weird that he's half naked…_ Lucy assures herself. _Totally not. Gray's always half naked. Especially when he's in the apartment, right? Right._

"Ummm…" Levy says awkwardly. "Why don't I meet you back at the guildhall, Lucy? I'm sure Jet and Droy are going to be looking for me as soon as they see that Cana's back."

"Sure thing," Lucy says, turning back with a forced smile. "Could you let Natsu and Happy know that I'm home too?"

"Actually, I will," Gina says, and Lucy is surprised to see her wiping tears out of her eyes. "Mind if we go together Levy?"

"Sure thing," Levy says, glancing back to Lucy for reassurance.

"Thanks Gina," Lucy smiles, nodding subtly to Levy.

As Gina steps out of the door, she pauses and turns back to Gray to say, "Thank you for talking to me about Gavin."

"Sure thing," he shrugs.

Then Lucy and Gray are alone, and she struggles to get her bearings.

"OK… that sucked," Gray sighs, finally breaking the silence. "Exactly how mad are you?"

"Mad?" Lucy forces a laugh. "Why would I be mad?"

"Because you only play the passive-aggressive card when you're mad," Gray says, running a hand over his face. "Look, I can explain…"

"Who is Gavin?" Lucy asks, trying her best not to jump to conclusions.

"Oh, he's the guy who died a few days ago," Gray explains, pointing towards the door. "The friend of Gina's."

"She talked to you about it?" Lucy says, looking back up in surprise and fighting not to feel hurt. "She hasn't even been willing to say that's what happened when I asked."

"Yeah, well…" Gray sighs, sitting down on the couch and holding his head between his hands. "I didn't really give her much choice."

"How did you manage that?" Lucy asks, genuinely curious.

"I…" Gray throws himself against the back of the couch and punches the cushion beside him. "Damnit I hate this bullshit!" He looks truly heartbroken and frustrated, and Lucy moves to sit beside him.

"You know you can always talk to me," Lucy assures him, "Right Gray?"

"That's just the problem!" he shouts. "I can't!"

"Can you tell me… why you can't?" Lucy asks instead.

"I… know somethin' I'm not supposed to," he admits. "About Gina, and why she's acting the way she is. But I promised not to say anything about it."

"Is she okay?" Lucy asks, feeling dread well up inside her. It's not normal for Gray to be upset like this. He doesn't answer her, but shakes his head no and she can see the muscles in his jaw pulled tight. He almost looks like he may cry. "Does Master Makarov know?" she asks.

"He must…" Gray responds, but then he looks unsure. "But he may not know how serious it is. I just wish I knew what to do. If I make the wrong move here, I could screw things up real bad."

"Did talking about this guy seem to help?" Lucy asks.

"I think so," he mumbles. "I was on my way here to bring you a surprise when I ran into Natsu. She'd thrown him out, but weirdly enough she threw Ming out with him. That's when I decided to push her with what I knew. It was risky, but she finally talked about it a little bit."

"Do you think it helped?"

"I hope so, but honestly I have no freakin' clue," he admits. "She has a wall up around her like a mile wide, and she doesn't wanna let anyone in. I don't think anyone in Fairy Tail has a clue what's goin' on in her head anytime. I sure don't."

"Is that why you hug her so much?" Lucy finally feels brave enough to ask.

"Sorta…" Gray says, looking frustrated again. "Look, Luce… I know it looks bad, but it's not what it looks like. I swear. Gina's a pretty girl, but she's got nothin' on you. On the inside she's a train wreck, and she's not interested in being fixed. She's not interested in me like that, and the feeling's mutual. I've got everything I ever wanted right here, and I'll be damned if I let this screw that up."

"I believe you," Lucy assures him with a smile, scooting up in his lap and letting him put his arms around her. She leans in and kisses him, loving the feeling of his hands sliding up her leg and back, and the eagerness of his mouth.

"Damn I missed you," he mumbles around her kiss. "I got you somethin'."

"You did?" she asks, sitting up and glancing around. Then she spots a bundle of flowers and a small gift box on the desk. "Oh, that's so sweet!"

She grabs up the flowers, a beautiful mixture of roses and local wildflowers, and heads to the kitchen to put them in a vase.

"I meant to do that for you, but Gina sidetracked me," Gray admits, snatching up the gift box and following her. "This is for you too."

Lucy stops arranging the flowers in the vase, and opens the gift box. Inside is a delicate silver necklace and a pendant shaped like a key with a snowflake for a handle.

"It's a little cheesy I know," he says with a blush. "But I want you to know that you can count on me anytime you _ever_ need me - day or night. Seven days a week. And none of those losers love you more than I do; especially not Loke."

"Thank you, Gray," she whispers with a smile. Then she throws her arms around his neck and kisses the hell out of him.

* * *

"So… I heard things have been rough," Levy says, looking uncomfortable as they leave Lucy's apartment.

"That wasn't what it looked like, Levy," Gina clarifies, cutting to the chase. "I wouldn't do that to Lucy. I know how she feels about Gray."

"I didn't say anything…" Levy replies.

"I know," Gina acknowledges, "but it needs to be said. Gray was being a friend, and the timing was just terrible. If you'd arrived 5 minutes earlier, you would have heard us shouting at each other."

"And he was hugging you because…?"

"Gray doesn't seem to handle it well when women cry," Gina says with a smile, and Levy beams in return.

"Now that I _know_ to be true," she laughs. "All the men in Fairy Tail get panicky if any of us get emotional. It's kinda funny to watch. You'd think Gajeel was afraid of rusting or something."

Gajeel Redfox is a newer edition to Fairy Tail than even Lucy. He is a dragon slayer, like Natsu and Wendy, but his element is iron. He has a gravelly, punk-rocker type voice, and similar look. He has a thick mane of black hair extending down to his waist, but it's always pulled back clear of his face. He has pale skin, frighteningly crimson eyes, and sharp pointed features. With his ability to manipulate iron, and create it from his body, he maintains the appearance of numerous piercings including: 3 studs above each eyebrow, three studs through the bridge of his nose, two studs between his lower lip and chin, 3-4 studs in each earlobe, and 4 studs in each forearm. He typically wears tall military-style boots, loose-fitting beige pants, and a dark blue, sleeveless, knee-length overcoat with steel-like trim. He's the very definition of a stereotypical bad-boy, and even Gina has been tempted to give the dragon slayer an extra glance or two, but he's only ever had eyes for Levy as far as Gina can tell.

"How are things with the two of you?" Gina says, attempting to make small talk until they arrive at the guildhall.

"What do you mean?" Levy asks, suddenly looking uncomfortable and tucking her hair behind her ear.

Gina mentally pauses. She had felt the affection between the iron dragon slayer and Levy very strongly, and it was mutual. They also spent a lot of time together, and it was more than obvious that Levy's two male companions, Droy and Jet, were infatuated with her, and jealous of Gajeel. She had assumed they were dating.

"I'm sorry," Gina flouders. "Maybe that was presumptuous of me."

"You… Oh," Levy chokes with a blush. "You thought Gajeel and I were dating? No. He… I…"

"You two seem to care a great deal for each other," Gina tries to explain, knowing that it didn't just seem that way. Nymphs can feel affection and love between people, even when not directed at them. There is no question that the two wizards love one another, but the relationship had been assumed, and that was her mistake.

"Well," Levy sighs. "I think Gajeel's a great guy. The big lug had a rough start in the guild, so he still has trouble getting along with some people. But he has a good heart, and he's worked hard to redeem himself. I respect that about him. But I don't think he'd be interested in… well. Me."

Gina literally stops walking in surprise. "Why not?" she asks, dumbfounded at the girl's obvious blindness.

"I don't know," Levy shrugs and then points ahead. "Well, we're here."

"Oh," Gina says, looking up at the guild hall's dilapidated pub-like exterior.

"I'm glad you know how important Gray is to Lucy," Levy says earnestly before heading inside.

"Of course," Gina smiles sadly.

Gina stares at the front doors of the building, hesitant to go inside. Her emotions are still in complete chaos after talking with Gray, and if she doesn't get her head on straight she's likely to burst into tears again. It's obviously upsetting everyone in Fairy Tail, and she doesn't want that. She decides to wander over to the outdoor fence, and sit on it for a moment to think.

 _What do I do now?_ She doesn't want to keep going like this; not anymore. She could not deny that she'd grown very fond of the dragon slayer; but even if Natsu could save her, she'd be sentencing him to the same fate she's enduring now. _That would be cruel._

If she continues on the path she's on now, she is going to die. There is no question of that. It is possible that the additional strain she is putting on herself in using false magic is quickening her deterioration, but there is no way to be sure.

She's occasionally heard rumors of other Nymphs who had chosen to fade, but it isn't talked about openly so she has no idea what the final stages look like. It is considered shameful, or the Nymph in question is considered weak or unstable. Gina has never imagined sympathizing with them until recently, but now she wonders how any of them could stand to live like this.

The idea of dying, however, is terrifying to Gina. She had not even realized the truth of her admissions to Gavin until she'd spoken them aloud. She doesn't want to die alone. She has come to love the wizards in this guild, and is ceaselessly amused by their antics and habit of getting into trouble. She would love to stay here until the end.

 _But there is no fooling Makarov…_ she realizes. She is amazed he hasn't confronted her already with the rumors running wild through the guild about her supposed relationship with Gray. _Makarov knows I'm here for Natsu, and he will eventually see how weak I've become._ The boost from Gavin and Natsu has given her more time for sure, but she is unsure of how long. It is frustrating to not understand whether to count her life down in years, months, or days. The answers Gray was so desperate for eludes her in some ways as well.

 _And I should not assume that Gray will remain silent…_ she acknowledges. _He sees too much, and seems to be reaching his breaking point. Damn. I have to talk to Makarov. There is no other option. I would love to stay here, but… that may not be realistic._

Gina gathers up her courage and heads inside the guildhall. She spots Natsu at the bar immediately, and he looks completely depressed. Ming is chittering away beside him, obviously trying to tattle on her, but Natsu is just gently patting Ming's little head sympathetically. She's amazed he's able to tolerate the smell.

Gina feels terrible about the way she's treated them, but she's not sure how to manage the situation. It would be wrong to lead Natsu on, knowing she would not accept him as her Sire. Selfishly, however, she wishes she could convince him to just be her friend, so she could enjoy his company while she is still here. Yet, she's completely unable to reconcile that against her desperation not to draw energy from him like some leech.

 _If I can stay at all…_ she remembers, just as Ming catches sight of her. She smiles sadly at him, and his shoulders slump. Natsu turns to see what Ming is reacting to, and bolts upright from the bar in surprise.

"Gina…" he gasps, "I…"

"I'm sorry Natsu," Gina says in true apology. "I was angry, and I was unkind to both of you."

"Hey, it's no big deal," he says with a big grin, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm surprised you came all the way here. Are you feeling better?"

"A little. Lucy came home. She wanted me to let you and Happy know that she was back."

"Awesome," he says with real enthusiasm, "You want to all go grab grub somewhere?"

"No. I need to speak with Makarov," she hedges, unsure of what will unfold when she does.

"Oh, okay. What about after?" he presses.

"Maybe," she says with a shrug. "I'll have to see how I feel then." She snaps her fingers encouragingly at Ming, and he runs up to wrap himself around her shoulders, sighing deeply.

"OK then," Natsu smiles. "I'll just hang here until you're done."

"It may take a while…"

"No problem," he shrugs, leaning back against the bar. "I've got nowhere I need to be."

 _Great…_


	12. Chapter 12 - Bargain

Makarov glances up from his paperwork as he feels Gina approach his door. He's been wondering how long she would take before coming to see him. He's surprised by how faint the trace of her magic is. _The little ferret must have stronger talents than I realized..._

"Come in, young lady," he calls before she's had the chance to knock.

"Hello Master Makarov," she greets him, bowing slightly. "I need to talk to you privately."

"Of course," he says with a smile. "Just shut the door gently, and I'll seal it with a barrier spell so we won't be overheard."

Gina does so, and then takes a seat in the chair in front of him as the magic circle he weaves flares on the door and fades. "I'd been wondering how long it would take you to come and speak with me. Things do not seem to be going as planned."

"About that…" Gina replies, wringing her hands, "I'm afraid I need to close out our current contract."

"Ah," Makarov sighs, feeling deep disappointment. There is no question in his mind that Natsu fancies Gina with more than a mild interest. "Natsu does not meet your standards then? May I ask why?"

"Actually, I am closing the contract for a completely unrelated reason," Gina replies.

"Oh, and what reason is that?"

Gina passes over enough jewel to pay for the current week of her contract. "I would like to close it first, please."

"Very well," he grumbles, pulling out the document. He signs off on the bottom, and passes the pen to her, watching her sign away her connection to their guild.

"I would like to propose a new contract," Gina says then, surprising him further. "You will not like it, and I cannot make you accept it, but it is the only option I have left."

"I'm not going to like it, huh?" he scowls, leaning back against his chair. He hadn't liked her last little revelation much either.

"I did not realize when I arrived here that I am dying," Gina declares, and the small ferret on her shoulders pops his head up with wide eyes.

If Makarov had not been seated, he would have fallen over in shock. "Dying?! Of what, young lady?!"

"I am…" Gina clears her throat, "diminishing in strength, and if I continue to do so, I will die."

Ming leaps off of Gina's shoulder and onto the desk, making all kinds of racket and waiving his little arms at her.

"Your companion seems to disagree with you," Makarov notes.

"He is angry because this is my choice."

"Choice?!" Makarov begins to rub at his temples against a sudden headache. "Please clarify choice."

"Do you remember our conversation with Freed and Bickslow?" she asks.

"You mean the one where I found out you seduced my grandson for years, and then moved on without any explanation?" he asks with heavy sarcasm. "Yes I remember that quite well. You're lucky I didn't tear up your contract right then and there."

"I _loved_ your grandson," she replies with her own anger. "But I was hurting him, and I hated it."

"Hurting him how?"

"A nymph draws affection from humans in the form of living energy," Gina explains. "Every time that energy is drained the human is diminished slightly, and the Nymphs own life is sustained or lengthened. The human will regain that energy on their own, but it takes time, like a healing process. A wizard of the same element is not affected the same way, because our life force can boost their magical energy in return. The drain from a friendship can go unnoticed. Children are rarely noticeably affected at all. But lovers… can be weakened greatly if their love is genuine."

Makarov rubs at his temples harder. "And Laxus?"

"I was weakening him," Gina admits with a somber expression. "He wanted to become stronger and better so badly, and I was holding him down without his knowledge. Even worse, I was risking his safety. I am very good at maintaining this human form, but it takes magical energy to accomplish. The transformation can sometimes be unstable. He could have died in the fire we had the week I left. He was burned, but he never understood what happened."

"Are you saying you left him to save him?" Makarov asks somberly.

"Of course!" she says as if it should be obvious. "I was killing him! I haven't…" she trails off weakly, "I haven't taken a lover since."

Makarov can feel his eyes bulge in surprise, and Ming begins tearing up some of the loose paper on his desk in some kind of small rage. "I thought you said that love and affection is what sustains you," Makarov replies, feeling his blood begin to boil. "That was years ago! What is sustaining you now?"

"I absorb affection in small measure from everyone who cares about me," she explains, not meeting his eyes. "Skin-to-skin contact is strongest, but touch is not even required for small measures. Truthfully, even without that, a nymph can live a very long time before their own energy begins to run dry."

"How much longer can you live this way?"

"I don't know," she admits. "That is why I did not realize I was dying when I arrived. I honestly do not know whether to measure my future in years or days. My situation is… uncommon."

"Damnit!" Makarov says, slamming his fist down on his desk. "This is ridiculous. Natsu is right outside that door. Go out there and _kiss that blasted boy_ , and then come back in here and talk to me!"

"You would use him that way?" Gina scoffs.

"Don't scold me about my own children, young lady," Makarov retorts. "Trust me. He would thank me!" Ming raises his arms in apparent agreement.

"He won't thank you when I'm gone," she challenges with a waiver in her voice. "You shouldn't encourage him to love someone who is not planning to stay."

"You're too young to make a decision this foolish!" Makarov rails.

"I'm older than YOU!" she shouts, surprising him again.

"Truly?" he asks, sitting back against his chair and trying to reign in his temper. "How much older?"

"I am over 90," she admits as he tries to wrap his brain around the concept. "I have been leading this life a long time. I do not enjoy it. The man who died a few days ago was my first lover. He died of _old age_. The longer I live, the more death I will have to endure."

"How long would you live if you were not _starving_ yourself?" he asks.

"An average nymph lives around four-hundred years," she explains with a sigh. "My parents are over 600, but mated Queens and Sires live much longer as a pair."

"Then by your own standards, you're still very young," he argues. "You are a Queen, are you not? If Natsu does not meet your standards, then surely you can find…"

"This has nothing to do with Natsu!" she screeches, and Makarov takes note of her renewed tension, watching her carefully. "It has nothing to do with whether or not he meets some mythical _standards_. Even if he did, I will not force him into a misery like this. He does not deserve that!"

 _Ah ha!_ Makarov mentally cheers. _Natsu is growing on her! There may still be a chance to save this fool…_ "You shouldn't make decisions this important while grieving."

"You're not going to change my mind," she sighs.

"Fine then. What is this new proposal you knew I wouldn't like?" he asks.

Ming falls down, throwing his arms over his eyes in apparent despair.

"I want your permission…" she hedges, wringing her hands again as he feels dread slide back into his stomach. "to remain here until I die - without exposing me. I've grown… very fond of them," she admits with a sad smile that breaks his heart. "Your children are wonderful people. They love each other very much. I have not found a love like this anywhere else. I suspect it will sustain me for a while, although I admit I do not know what to expect at all. I would like to… enjoy their company while I still can. I know that it's terribly selfish of me."

He sits in silence for a long time, with his heart aching in his chest. She is asking him for an assisted suicide. In all of his life he's never imagined facing such a request. She is so young, and so beautiful. His children have taken to her as one of their own. No matter what decision he makes, they will suffer for it. Even worse, he will bear the burden of her secrecy; which she ensured by closing the contract the way she did. He would never have signed if he understood, but to revoke it now would jeopardize the reputation of their guild - which is already in tatters.

"No..." he replies, breaking his own heart. "You are asking me to wound my own children. They love you more and more with each passing day; taking you in as one of our own. Yet you insist on ending your life. Do you have _any idea_ how it will hurt them to know that you faded away while they watched?"

"Gray already knows I am dying," she says, swallowing hard, "although I have not admitted it directly. I have been having difficulty maintaining this form, and I do not know why, but his ice-make magic seems to help me reduce my temperature and maintain. Eventually I had to give him an explanation for why I was constantly hugging him. I begged him to keep my illness secret, and so far he has agreed, but he does not know its true cause. He assumed it was associated with the illness that you claimed caused the damage to my magic. He has assumed that you knew."

"Ahhh…" Makarov sighs. _Damn my fool mouth…_ "I had been wondering why Natsu seemed so convinced that you were in a romantic relationship with Gray. I had begun to fear he was right. Is that safe?"

Gina laughs without humor, "I don't know. I don't see why it wouldn't be."

Makarov thinks long and hard before giving her an answer. "I'm sorry, my dear, but I simply cannot agree to this. It is my job to protect them, and I cannot see an end here that does not cause them more pain."

"Very well," Gina sighs as a tear falls from her right eye. "I'll be on my way in the morning. I would remind you that even though our contract is closed, you are still bound by its terms of privacy. You may give them whatever excuse you wish, but you may not tell them what I am, or what I have revealed to you today. I would prefer that you not tell them of my choice either. There is no need to cause them additional worry or pain."

"I understand perfectly," he grumbles, as she leaves the room.

"Ming…" she calls to her companion, but he keeps his back to her and does not respond. Eventually, she leaves without him.

"I'm sorry my small friend," Makarov says to Ming, petting his fur gently. "I wish I could convince your mistress to abandon this recklessness, but she seems set in her path."

Ming shakes his head vehemently in denial, running over to the door and pointing to the bar while chittering loudly. Makarov drops out of his chair and follows, watching Gina walk up to Natsu. As soon as Natsu sees her he smiles, but it fades quickly to distress. He is no doubt asking what has her so upset. She wipes away a tear, and laughs, but the laughter is blatantly forced. Natsu reaches for her, but she backs away shaking her head before leaving the guild hall.

Ming runs up onto Makarov's shoulder and pushes against his face until he's looking back at Natsu, then he points and waves his arms about in obvious frustration.

"You're rooting for Natsu, are you?" Makarov deduces. "Is it because he is the only one who she wouldn't harm?"

Ming shakes his head in obvious disagreement, pointing at Natsu again. Natsu is back at his spot on the bar, but his head is resting on his arm and his shoulders are hunched. Makarov can see Mirajane's sad eyes watching the boy, and she looks up at Makarov as if she could feel his gaze. She turns toward where Gina left with a question in her eyes, but Makarov just shakes his head sadly. Mira knows nothing more than any of them, but she has told Makarov before about her suspicions of Natsu's feelings.

"You think he's already falling in love with her?" Makarov asks Ming, and the little ferret nods in agreement. "What have I done to you, my poor boy..."

 _Come on, you old fool, you have to do something!_ Makarov mentally rages at himself. _I have to stop her somehow. I cannot tell them what she is, so I cannot tell them the truth about her illness. BUT… They already know she is sick! And Gray apparently already believes it to be serious. Perhaps I can use that! She said she would prefer that I not tell them, but she cannot force it! It was never in the original contract terms. I will have to act quickly, however. She will most likely leave soon!_

* * *

Gina walks into the apartment, intentionally breaking up the intense love play she can sense going on inside between Gray and Lucy, and throwing them off balance.

"Oh, goodness," she says with a false blush, "I'm so sorry."

"Oh… Gina, uh…" Lucy's voice waivers on an embarrassed laugh. She is seated on Gray's lap on the couch which serves as Gina's temporary bed. Their lips are kiss swollen, her hands are in his hair, and his grip is frozen on her thighs.

"Shit," Gray mutters.

"I don't mean to be rude," Gina lies, "but I need to rest for the night. I am very sorry."

"No, no, no!" Lucy says, jumping to her feet and straightening her skirt. "No need to apologize. It's been a hard day. Gray told me about your friend. I'm sorry to hear about it."

Gray gets up behind her, casually adjusting his own clothes, and beginning to search for the scattered pieces like his shirt and jacket.

"Thank you," Gina says sincerely. "I let Natsu know that you were home, when I stopped in at the guild hall. He sounded interested in getting food together, and talking about your trip."

"Oh really?" Lucy brightens. "Food sounds great! Maybe we should order-in, so you can join us?"

"Oh no," Gina declines. "Don't worry about me. I think it would do him some good to get out with all of you. He seemed really down." Gina ignores Gray's narrowed eyes and intense scrutiny at her obvious attempt to get them to leave.

"Okay, sure," Lucy agrees. Then she places her hands on each of Gina's arms and locks eyes with her, much more seriously. "You get some rest, and then maybe we can talk more tomorrow. We care about you, Gina, and we'll do everything we can to help. We've all been there."

Lucy's sincerity brings tears to Gina's eyes, and her heart aches at knowing that she is leaving them. She can feel a small draw of energy from Lucy. One tear escapes down Gina's cheek, but she blinks the rest away quickly.

"Thank you, Lucy," Gina chokes sincerely. "You are an amazing friend. You all are."

"You sure everything's okay?" Gray asks, slipping his jacket on.

"Yes," she nods with a smile. "You all go on and have some fun. Sorry I…" Gina clears her throat, "cut the fun a little short."

Gray turns completely beat red, and Lucy looks like she wishes the ground would swallow her. It makes Gina genuinely laugh.

"It's uh…" Gray chokes. "Not a big deal. We'll see ya later, then."

Gina nods in agreement as they shuffle out the door, and holds her breath as Gray subtly touches her forehead with his hand on the way past her - checking her temperature without meeting her eyes. As soon as they are gone, Gina begins packing her things. After about 15 minutes, Ming comes in through the apartment window.

"So, are you coming with me?" she asks him without looking up.

It is not wise or kind to assume, or imply that he must agree with her plan. Perhaps he would like to stay with the wizards here. She does not want him to wind up alone. He bounces up beside her and places his paws on her leg, looking into her eyes with a sorrowful stare. He chitters at her with an obvious, "My place is with you," in his tone.

"Thank you, old friend," she breathes with a sigh of relief. "We must hurry. We need to be gone before they return, and I don't trust Makarov."

* * *

Makarov sits on the bartop, watching the daily commotion roil around him. Natsu raged at him for more information when Gina left, trying to find out why she was so upset, but he held firm; waiting to see what the nymph's next move will be. He sits up straighter as he sees Lucy and Gray enter the hall, with Happy, Carla, Wendy, and Panther Lily trailing behind.

 _I see…_ he mentally sighs. _So that's how it's going to be._

"Hi Natsu!" Lucy waves with a big smile.

"Oh, hey Luce," he mumbles, returning a weak grin.

"Gina came back to the apartment, and said you wanted to grab some chow," Gray says with a slightly suspicious expression. Then he turns to Makarov, and stares him down. The boy will not go without answers any longer. That much is clear.

"Oh, yeah," Natsu mutters. "I had been hoping she would go with us, but Gramps upset her, and he won't tell me what happened." By the end, Natsu is glaring at him again.

"I'm sorry, Natsu," Makarov sighs, "but I needed everyone here for this announcement."

"Announcement? What's goin' on?" Gray demands.

"EVERYONE BE QUIET!" Makarov screams, and the guildhall falls eerily silent as all eyes turn to him. Nearly everyone is present: Natsu and Happy, Wendy and Carla, Gajeel and Panther Lily, Erza, Levy, Jet, Droy, Elfman, Mirajane, Lisanna, Evergreen, Bickslow, Freed, Cana, and many of the others who had come to know Gina during her short stay. "I have something important we must discuss."

"What's up boss?" Bickslow calls from the corner in his gravelly tone.

"I'm afraid that I may have made a decision that will affect all of you," he confesses. "Some of you more than others."

"If this is about Gina, then just spit it out old man!" Natsu shouts, fists flaring and every muscle in his body coiled.

"Shut up, Flame Brain, and let him talk!" Gray shouts back, poised for a fight. Makarov holds up a hand to hush them.

"Gina has come and given me grave news," Makarov begins, "When she first arrived, I told you of the illness she suffers from. I did not know at that time how serious her condition truly was, and it would seem that she didn't know either."

Gray's jaw is clenched, his eyes are shut, and his fists are balled at his sides. Natsu's expression is shocked, and his eyes afix to one of the wooden boards in the floor. Happy sits on the bar top, watching him with confused eyes. Lucy's hand comes up to cover her mouth, as tears begin to well up in her eyes. Levy looks ill, and backs up until she bumps into Gajeel, who places steadying hands on her shoulders.

"What are you saying Master?" Erza asks stepping forward with a severe expression.

"He's sayin' that Gina's dyin'," Gray chokes with a broken voice before Makarov can respond, and the entire room gasps as they turn to look at the ice wizard. "That's why she lost it the other night. Why the old man's death was so hard on her. She's gettin' weaker every day."

"Damn…" Elfman mutters, sitting down heavily in his chair as his sister Lisanna leans against him for comfort.

"I don't believe it," Freed argues from the sidelines, with confusion written all over his face. "Master, we just spoke about…"

"It is true," Makarov cuts in; stopping him short from revealing more. "I do not know how long she has left, and neither does anyone else. It could be years… or it could be days."

"Excuse me," Freed says, slipping out of the crowd. "I have matters I need to attend to."

"Oh God, Gray," Lucy cries, throwing her arms around Gray in a hug. "I'm so sorry."

Many eyes in the guildhall turn to Gray in sympathy; confusing his knowledge with information a lover or boyfriend would possess.

"You… knew?" Natsu whispers in a dangerous tone, with his eyes still fixed to the floor. "You knew she was DYING, and you… DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING TO THE REST OF US!?" Natsu leaps for the ice mage in full fury, "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?! DO YOU NOT GIVE A SHIT ABOUT US?! HUH?!"

Makarov is quick to extend his arm, using his magic to magnify its size fifty times and pin Natsu to the floor.

"GET OFF ME!" Natsu rages. "DID YOU THINK YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE WHO CARED ABOUT HER?! YOU BASTARD! SHE'S OUR TEAMMATE!"

"SHE WOULDN'T LET ME TELL YOU!" Gray rages back, pushing Lucy away and screaming through tear-filled eyes. "YOU THINK I DIDN'T WANT TO?! YOU THINK I DIDN'T KNOW HOW THIS WAS GONNA END?!"

"BOTH OF YOU STOP IT!" Erza shouts with a choked voice, and trembling hands.

Makarov's chest aches at the pain in his children's hearts. His mind is at war with itself about what the right course of action is. What would they ask of him if they knew the truth?

"Oh right!" Natsu spits from the floor, still struggling against Makarov's hold. "Like she could just keep you from telling us! What did she do? Threaten to break up with you?!"

"SHE WAS GONNA LEAVE!" Gray screams. "SHE WAS GONNA GO OFF AND DIE OUT THERE ALONE! IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?!"

"That's terrible…" Levy's voice sobs. "I just talked to her, and I didn't even…"

"Whoa there," Gajeel says gently in his gravelly tone, as Levy turns to press her face against his chest. He rubs her arms; sheltering her in his own. "Stay strong Small Fry. This show's not over yet."

"I thought you knew, Gramps," Gray says, tears flowing freely now. "I swear, I…"

"THIS IS MY FAULT!" Makarov shouts over the din of voices now whispering to one another in panicked and pained tones. "Not yours, young man! I asked you all to welcome Gina into your hearts. I'm not sure I would have done so if I had understood what it would cost you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Natsu spits, fixing Makarov with a lethal-looking glare as he continues to squirm in his grip. "You think we wouldn't _WANT_ her just because she's dyin'?! She's a member of Fairy Tail! She's family! You have no right to keep her from us, just because we might lose her! What if I got sick, huh? You gonna just throw me out on the street because it might hurt everybody to watch me die? SHE'S YOUR GRAND NIECE - YOUR BLOOD!"

His argument brings Makarov up short. He would never do that to one of his children, but he would have considered it with Gina. He would never throw her out in the cold - not ever. But she will leave on her own, and he is sorely tempted to shelter them from that very pain. She is probably already leaving now. How could he let her continue in this madness, and let them witness her decline while keeping the truth from them? How could they forgive him?

"There's gotta be another way, Gramps," Gray's voice trembles with anger. "There's gotta be something we can do. You've gotta tell us what's wrong with her! She won't tell me! Says she doesn't want us to know. Doesn't want it to change the way we look at her... but dammit! There has to be something!"

"I'm sorry Gray," Makarov groans, "but I cannot violate her privacy and tell you what her illness is. I am bound by…"

"Gray's right, and so is Natsu," Elfman cuts him off, standing up and lifting his shoulders defiantly. He tucks Lisanna beneath one arm gently, and pulls Evergreen beneath the other. "REAL MEN would stand beside Gina every moment. We'd do our best to make her feel comfortable, safe, and cared for." All the wizards crowded in the small building begin nodding, cheering and hollering their agreement. "REAL MEN would show Gina that we're not gonna run away just because it hurts. WE'RE REAL MEN, and we're not gonna treat her different if she wants to walk beside us! We're FAIRY TAIL, and WE LOVE OUR OWN!"

The whole guild hall erupts with cheers and shouts of agreement, with fists raised high, and the seen before Makarov suddenly snaps into focus. He's no nymph… but the love for Gina amongst his children is palpable - even to him.

 _She said that she could draw energy even from simple friendship… there is no way that living among them would not extend her life_ , he realizes. _It is a dangerous gamble, but I would wager that Natsu could still change the blasted woman's mind if given enough time. And even if he doesn't… they may give her enough time to see the foolishness of her choice. But I have to know…_

"If Gina remains among you," Makarov says somberly, and the voices dim enough for him to be heard. "There is a very real chance that you will have to watch her die, and it could be a terrible death."

The group goes stone silent, and seem uniformly lost in thought.

"I need to know," he continues, "here and now. Do you truly wish to support her, regardless of her choices? Will you stand by her, without the answers you are so desperate for? Can I depend on you to do what you must, and accept that which you don't understand? Could you... forgive me?"

"I won't forgive you - not ever," Natsu whispers, "If you send her away."

"Me either," Gray says in a more defiant tone. "And frankly, I don't care what you say. I'M not gonna let her walk away! We love her, Master. She's family, and you're not gonna throw in the towel before we've even gotten a chance to fight!"

"Well then you may need to hurry," Makarov says with a sad smile, "because I suspect she knows I was planning to speak to all of you."

"Oh God!" Lucy cries. "Oh God, Gray. She got us to leave the apartment! She may already be gone!"

Makarov releases Natsu as he rockets off the floor and races ahead of Lucy, shouting, "Hurry Happy!"

"Aye!" the little blue cat shouts as he soars out the door.


	13. Chapter 13 - Bloodhounds

Natsu bursts through the front door of Lucy's apartment, ripping it clear off its hinges.

"Hey!" Lucy shouts in objection while trailing behind him. "I'm gonna have to pay for that you know!"

"Gina?!" he shouts, too freaked out to care about the stupid door. _Gina's dying…_ every time he lets himself start thinking, the pain hits him again. _It can't be true. She said she wasn't dying! What the hell is going on?! But Gray and Gramps seem convinced… "_ Gina, where are you?!"

Natsu lifts his nose to the air and sniffs. _Oh Man…_ he resists the urge to hurl. _What did that little rat DO? Pee on something?_ Ming's scent is more potent than he's ever smelled it, and he fights through the nausea to find its source. He finds a small reeking piece of paper with Gina's delicate handwriting all over it. _Bingo!_

"What did you find?" Gray's voice calls from behind him.

"It looks like a note from Gina," he replies, handing it to Lucy. "Smells like Ming rolled all over it or somethin'."

"What does it say?" Erza adds her voice to the fray, coming in through the apartment door last.

"Dear Lucy," Lucy begins reading with trembling hands. "Thank you so much for letting me stay in your apartment these last few weeks and helping me train. I am not sure what Makarov has told you, but I'm sorry to say it is time for me to move on. I am really going to miss you guys. Please tell Gray thank you for helping me, even though I know it hurt him. Tell Erza thank you for helping me train, and watching my back. Tell Happy that I'm glad I got to know him better, and tell Natsu to never change."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Natsu objects, reeling with confusion. _Gina can barely stand me. I thought…_

"I'll probably not get the chance to see you all again," Lucy continues reading, with her voice trembling now too, "but I think that's for the best. Thank you for welcoming me into your family. It's been the highlight of my life. Sincerely yours, Gina."

"Alright, I'm through with this bullshit!" Natsu shouts impatiently, "Let's go get her already!"

"Can you track her by her scent?" Gray asks, locking determined eyes with Natsu.

"Hell yeah," Natsu laughs. "That little rat left such a strong scent, I'll probably be able to follow it even if it rains!"

"That's good news," Erza says, requipping into her Heart Cruz traveling armor. "That means Ming is helping us."

"Oh yeah…" Natsu realizes, "The little bugger's on or side! I take back everything mean I've ever said about the little guy!"

"We should still move quickly," Gray comments. "She's got at least an hour's head start on us, and she may not be on foot."

"Awwww man," Natsu complains with a sick feeling he knows where she's headed. "Give me a lift little buddy." He shouts to Happy after already leaping halfway out the window.

"Aye!" Happy shouts, catching him by the shoulders.

"You guys head for the train station!" he shouts back towards the apartment window. "If I'm wrong, I'll circle back for ya!"

* * *

Lucy sees Natsu crouched down by the empty train tracks, staring down them without moving. His fingers seem to stir restlessly in the dirt, but he doesn't turn to look at her. Happy sees her, and flies back her direction.

"We didn't get here fast enough," Happy says sadly. "The man at the window says the train left over an hour ago. He's not allowed to tell us where she was going."

"That means she wasn't at the apartment for more than 15 minutes after we left," Gray grumbles from beside her. "She must have bought a ticket before she even came home."

"Why would she work so hard to get away from us?" Lucy asks, still reeling from the night's revelations. "That doesn't seem like Makarov telling her to leave."

"No it doesn't," Erza agrees. "It's time to come clean Gray. You need to tell us everything you know about Gina's condition."

"Well I hate to break it to you, but it isn't much," Gray replies, rubbing his face in frustration. "I only know as much as I do because she was using me to fight it somehow."

"How?" Natsu says, finally standing up and turning towards them.

"Gina's been running a really bad fever the whole time she's been here," Gray explains. "The kind of fever that can kill. Scares the hell out'a me. For some reason, it seems to respond to my ice-make magic. If I touch her, her temperature drops and she seems to do better for a little while."

"That's so weird…" Natsu mumbles with a confused expression. "Gina's original magic form is fire magic. It seems like ice magic shouldn't help anything."

"It is?" Erza asks. "How do you know that?"

"I figured it out," Natsu replies with a shrug. "It's what she smells like anyway."

"Yeah," Happy chimes in from the air. "She admitted it when we were out fishing!"

"Of course that's the same day I asked her point-blank if she was dying, and she apparently lied to my face," Natsu scoffs, "so maybe that's not true either."

"Why did you ask her that?" Lucy asks, shocked that everyone seems to have known more than she did.

"It's a long story," he shrugs, "but something she said tipped me off. I just couldn't figure out why she would say something like that unless she was dying. She convinced me I was wrong."

"Well, she told me the same thing," Gray says, watching Natsu with pity in his eyes. "About fire magic being her original form. She said you had figured it out that day. She said it had become more sensitive or somethin', and was reacting in ways it shouldn't, skyrocketing her temperature. You can tell when it's gettin' bad because she rubs her arms the way someone does when they're cold."

"I've seen her do that. Wait a minute…" Lucy breathes in revelation, replaying her memory of Gina pushing Natsu away over and over again. "Does that mean Natsu's magic hurts her?"

Natsu looks up at Gray in shock, braced as if someone is about to hit him.

Gray clenches his teeth before hissing, "She said it didn't hurt. She… she said it just made her temperature go up if he touched her, the same way mine made it go down."

"Yeah," Natsu chokes with tears in his eyes. "The way she told me she wasn't dying on the same day she admitted to you that she was? I'm gonna guess that's what you wanted to hear…"

The whole group falls quiet, and Lucy reaches for Natsu but he pulls away. He clenches his fists in his hair before screaming, turning, and punching a flaming fist into a decorative concrete pillar nearby.

"GOD DAMNIT!" he shouts, as the top sheers off. "Every time I touched her… How could you not say anything?!"

"I told you!" Gray shouts back. "She was gonna leave! She said she didn't want anyone to know, 'cause she didn't want them treating her differently."

"Yeah!" Natsu rages. "I wouldn't have _hurt_ her over and over again!"

"This isn't helping anything," Erza's stern tone cuts in. "The problem now is that Gina _is_ gone, and we need to find her, and convince her to come home."

"How are we going to do that?" Lucy flounders. "She's got a huge lead, and we don't know where she's headed."

"I can track her using Ming," Natsu sighs, "but it's gonna burn my nose out after a while. That will make it slower."

"Sounds like you could use a hand…" Gajeel's gravelly tone cuts in from down the street. He's headed straight for them, with Levy and Panther Lily at his side.

"Hey guys!" Natsu shouts with an excited wave.

"We want to help find Gina," Levy smiles. "I don't know her that well, but she's one of us now and I know how important she is to all of you. I thought two noses would be better than one."

"Alright man!" Natsu cheers, giving Gajeel a high-five.

"Make that three!" Wendy's tiny voice comes from the opposite side, and they turn to see her approaching with Carla. They each have a small backpack strapped to their backs. "I thought maybe my healing magic would be helpful for when you find her."

"Awesome!" Lucy cheers. "Let's go find Gina, and bring her home!"

* * *

 **Gina sits by the water's edge, listening to the sounds of the creek ebb and flow around her. Her tears run down her face and drop; splashing one at a time into it's cool surface. Why did death have to be so slow? Was it determined to torture her for her selfishness and cruelty?**

 **She remembers Gray holding her tightly in Lucy's apartment.** _ **I wish you would tell me how I could help…**_ **he'd groaned.** _ **There's no way it has to be this way, Gina.**_

 **She remember's Lucy's sincerity.** _ **We care about you, Gina, and we'll do everything we can to help.**_

 **She remembers Erza's determination.** _ **Gina is trying her best! That's all any member of Fairy Tail is asked to do every day.**_

 **Natsu's voice rings clearer than any of them.** _ **You're not just pretty. You're also a nice person if someone really takes time to get to know you.**_ **He'd held her in the garden, and his affection had soaked into her withered body like water into a dry sponge.**

 _ **You're so mean to him!**_ **Happy's little voice had screamed.** _ **You ignore him, push him around, and call him names! And he's still stupid enough to want to be your friend! … He shouldn't like you that way!**_

 **She's betrayed them all. She's broken their hearts, like she's broken so many before them. Happy was right. Natsu shouldn't care about her. None of them should. She should never have come to Fairy Tail. She could have learned on her own that she was dying, and simply… faded away.**

" **That's a stupid argument," Natsu's voice startles her, and she suddenly realizes that his strong arms are wrapped around her.**

" **What is?" she asks in confusion as she begins to feel his strength soak into her bones.**

" **You think you can just fade, and no one will notice?" he challenges her. She stiffens in surprise as she feels his lips sensually kiss where her neck meets her shoulder, but then she melts beneath the powerful feeling of affection. Her body is so weak, it craves that affection with the strength of a drug. "Your parents will know," he continues his argument, and she struggles to pay attention. "They will feel you die."**

" **I know," she mumbles, "but I am one of hundreds. They will heal eventually."**

" **What about me?" he argues, coaxing her onto her back on the tall grass and moving to hover over her. She lies back, running her hands up the smooth skin of his arms, like she did on their lengthy train ride.**

" **I will only hurt you if I stay," she tries to explain, knowing she will never be able to explain to the real Natsu.**

" **Why are you so sure?" he asks, dipping his head to kiss her. She kisses him back with abandon, enjoying the dream much more than real life. She does not have to be careful here.**

 **When he pulls back from her, he smiles. Gina's eyes grow wide - glued to the Sire markings suddenly visible along the side of his face.**

Gina startles awake so violently that she dumps Ming straight off her lap and onto the floor of the train. He squeaks in surprise, landing with a distinct thump.

"Is something wrong?" Freed Justine's familiar voice asks with concern.

He is sitting on the bench seat across from her in his standard traveling outfit. His long red and gray suit coat is perfectly coordinated with his tall gray boots and black pants, and belted around the waist. His long aqua hair has been his strongest fashion statement for as long as she's known him, but somewhat lessens the intensity of his green eyes and pale skin. Since he is seated, his saber is resting comfortably on the bench beside him.

"No, nothing is wrong," she mumbles, sitting back upright in her seat on the train and mumbling an apology to Ming. He crawls back into her lap and curls up, shutting his eyes and tucking his nose into his fur. She eyes Freed suspiciously. "Why are you helping me?"

"Laxus's interests are my interests," he says, sitting back against his own bench seat more comfortably.

She hadn't even known Freed was following her until he'd unceremoniously grabbed her upper arm at the train station and pulled her aboard as the train pulled out. She hadn't had time to purchase a ticket, but he had an extra for her in his hands. He'd shouted a simple, "They're already on to you. Move quickly!" After boarding the train, he'd ignored her and offered no more conversation. The train ride had apparently quickly put her to sleep...

"What does that mean?" she challenges him now. "What does Laxus have to do with anything? And how did you even know I was leaving?"

"Makarov announced to the guild that you were dying," he replies with narrowed eyes.

"He what?!" she replies in shock, never expecting the old fool to make a move so bold.

"Is it untrue?" he says, almost looking hopeful.

"No…" she replies, not meeting his eyes. "It is true."

"I need you to explain to me how that is possible," Freed says. "I was under the impression that nymphs live extremely long lives. I have known you for more than 15 years, and I have never seen you age. Is it true that you are ill?"

"Freed," she sighs, "I left because I do not wish to explain myself."

"That much I assumed," he scoffs, "which is why I did not even bother checking Lucy's apartment. You have a tendency to run away from commitment."

"I do not!" she objects, gritting her teeth.

"You are a Nymph Queen with no Sire, who just walked away from a powerful - albeit immature - candidate," he points out, and she rolls her eyes. "You also walked out on Laxus without a word of explanation."

"That has nothing to do with commitment," she argues. "You know what. Nevermind. I don't have to justify myself to you."

"Oh really?" he sighs. "I would remind you that you have one of Fairy Tail's best dragon-slayers on your tail, and Natsu is literally incapable of giving up. He's going to catch you eventually, and then what will you do? I would also remind you that whatever power you wield over our Master, you do not wield over me. What's to keep me from telling Natsu why you came to the guild to begin with?"

"You can't!" Gina cries in horror. "Dear God, please Freed," she begs, grabbing his hand in her own as his face registers surprise. "You can't hurt him that way!"

"You really think it's going to hurt him to find out that you decided he wasn't a good candidate to father hundreds of children?" he laughs. "The boy will probably faint from relief."

"Not when I die," she whimpers.

"Which you _still_ haven't explained!" he shouts.

"I am choosing to die, Freed," she admits, and she watches his jaw fall slack as his eyes open wide in shock.

"What…" he chokes, "what are you talking about?"

"I have not taken a lover since I left Laxus, and I do not intend to," she explains. "Without one, I will eventually fade. I did not realize when we spoke last how close I was."

"Good heavens," he stutters, looking away from her. "I need to get you to Laxus immediately."

"What?" she says, backing away from him and back into her chair. "No! Freed, you have no right to interfere in this."

"I have every right," he disagrees, "Laxus is my closest friend. He is my leader. You may not be his lover anymore, but he still cares for you. I will not betray him by allowing you to make this choice without giving him the chance to speak with you."

"How could you hurt him that way?" she objects. "Why not just let me go?! He doesn't need to even know that I…" she sees Freed's face take on a guilty expression. "You… you already told him I was at Fairy Tail, didn't you? Dammit! You idiot! This is your fault!"

"My fault?" he scoffs. "I am not the one choosing death! What in the world would drive you to make such a choice?! Was Natsu really so repulsive of a suitor? I mean, I realize that with Laxus's considerable attributes, he pales in..."

Gina roars in frustration. "Why do people keep acting like this has anything to do with Natsu?! His involvement at all is just poor timing! I _haven't_ rejected him. I simply won't agree to drag him into this endless life of pain with me. I'm tired, Freed," she admits with a heavy sigh. "I am tired. You were right about one thing. I am always running. I am tired of running. Tired of hurting people the way I hurt Laxus." She pleads with him with her eyes. "You _know_ how much I hurt him."

"You only hurt him by leaving," he argues.

"And you _know_ I couldn't stay!" she starts to sob. "I burned him, Freed. That was _ME!"_ Freed's eyes grow wide again as he obviously remembers the fire the week before she left. "Even before I burned him I was hurting him. The energy that I gain from a relationship depletes my partner unless their magic is fire based. I was holding him back, and I was weakening him. He cared about me too much."

"Laxus is more than strong enough to make that choice on his own," Freed argues. "You have no idea how powerful he has become since you left him."

"He will not change my mind," Gina pleads.

"If I swear to you to keep your secret from Natsu and the others," Freed proposes, "and help slow down their progress, will you agree to speak with Laxus?"

Gina weighs her options. If Freed has told Laxus of her presence, there is no doubt that Laxus already knows she is a fire nymph as well. There is no harm in having a real conversation. Except that it is impossible to reason with the big lightning mage, who doubtless will disagree with her choice.

But Gina is desperate to keep Natsu from knowing what she is. She no longer fears harm from him, but instead fears the determination he could develop to stop her. Laxus is challenging for the same reason, but he could not argue for a long-term relationship with her. Natsu could decide to trap himself into this misery with her for centuries simply to save her life; forcing the very outcome she hopes to spare him from - watching his comrades die one after another.

"You have to swear on your honor as a Fairy Tail wizard to keep my secret forever," Gina finally counters. "Not just temporarily. That oath must be on behalf of the entire Thunder Legion."

Freed looks unhappy, but eventually mumbles, "Laxus is our leader. I cannot give you that oath on his behalf, but you have my pledge, on behalf of myself, Bickslow and Evergreen."

"Fine," Gina sighs. "Where do you propose we meet him, and how will you send word?"

"Leave that up to me," he says. "For now, you need your rest."

Gina sees a brief flash of enchantment script before her eyes, and then her world goes dark.

* * *

"Ahhhhhhh!" Levy screams as she flies out of the back seat of the magic mobile and lands in Natsu's lap after striking the dashboard. "Ouch…"

"What the hell, Erza?!" Gajeel roars from behind her. "Where the hell did you learn to drive?!"

"That wasn't me," Erza calls, sounding slightly dazed. The magic mobile has come to a dead stop.

"You okay Levy?" Wendy asks, trying to help her sit more upright on Natsu's lap after her tumble while he groans through his motion-sickness. Levy is suddenly frightened of being puked on.

"Yeah, I think so. I…" she squeals in surprise as she suddenly feels a strong pair of hands grip her under the arms and tow her back over the back of the front seat and into her place on Gajeel's lap.

"Sorry Small Fry," he mumbles. "Didn't realize I needed to keep a grip on you."

"It's okay," she whispers to him, knowing that he's been struggling against nausea like Natsu although he won't admit it.

The magic mobile is much too small for all of them. Lucy is sitting on Gray's lap in the back seat while Levy is perched in Gajeel's, and the 3 exceeds are crammed between them. Natsu is sitting in front on the passenger side - with easy access to an open window. Erza is driving with the magic feed hooked to her arm, and Wendy is sandwiched in the middle.

"What happened Erza?" Gray hollers.

"I don't know," she mumbles. "It's like we hit something, but the road looks empty."

Gajeel opens his door, and slides out before gently setting Levy on her feet. He takes a moment to steady himself, and she pretends not to notice. He sniffs the air. "I can still smell the ferret, but I'm not picking anything else up that I wasn't before," he explains.

Erza walks up to the front of the vehicle and starts to move in front of it. Before she is able to, she impacts an invisible wall, and Freed's enchantment script becomes visible.

"What the hell?!" Gray shouts, coming up the other side of the car and barely dodging the vomit as Natsu pukes out the open window from still inside. "Ugh… gross man."

"Do you think I should use Troia on him again?" Wendy asks, hoping to heal Natsu of his motion-sickness.

"Probably not," Lucy sighs. "I'm not sure how much farther we have to go, and he could get immune too soon. Besides, we seem to be stopped for now."

"This looks like Freed's work," Erza says, striking the wall of script again, and Levy realizes it's not a wall but a box, complete with ceiling.

"What?" Lucy pipes in. "Freed is helping Gina too? What the heck does that mean?!"

"You got me…" Gray mumbles in frustration.

"Fortunately for you jokers," Gajeel chuckles in his sexy rock-star voice, "I had the sense to bring the brains along." He points at Levy and she fights a blush, strolling up to read the script.

"It looks fairly basic," she explains. "It says, 'No Wizard or Exceed bearing the Fairy Tail emblem may leave the boundaries of this enchantment for the next 6 hours'."

"Six hours!" Gray screams. "Is he out of his mind?!"

"Don't worry," she assures him. "It shouldn't take me near that long to crack it."

"Yeah," Gajeel chuckles excitedly, rubbing his palms together.

"How long?" Lucy squeaks. "I have to pee…"

* * *

Gina fights her way out of the thick haze of sleep. Her face is pressed against something warm which smells like an odd combination of male and… ginger tea? When she is finally able to open her eyes, she finds herself staring at the white scarf beneath Freed's red jacket.

"Oh, thank goodness," she hears him mumble from above her. "I was beginning to think you weren't going to wake up before we reached the hotel."

"What hotel?" she asks, stupidly. She shifts her weight just enough to realize that she's perched on a small magic mobile seat, and held up against his body on one side with his arm securing her waist.

"The hotel where Laxus is going to meet with us here in Clover Town," he explains. "The cab driver seems relatively unconcerned with me carrying around an unconscious woman, but the front desk is liable to complain."

"Why did you put me to sleep in the first place?" she objects drowsily, "And why are you…?" It is odd for Freed to be this close to her. They have never gotten along well.

"I still do not understand the nature of your illness," Freed explains, "or rather your decision to die. I also do not trust you to tell me the truth about it. Therefore, I decided that a stasis would force you to preserve energy instead of wasting it. I also understand, at a minimum, that you draw energy from human males through affection. While I am not overly fond of you… I _am_ concerned for you, and want to do what I can to ensure that you meet with Laxus as we agreed. I'm sorry if that makes you… uncomfortable."

Freed clears his throat and fights a look of embarrassment, but does not permit her to sit up straighter away from him. She is surprised to realize that if she concentrates, she _can_ feel the faintest trace of energy seeping from him and into her. It is both endearing and frustrating.

"It doesn't have to be males," she feels the need to clarify.

"Truly?" he asks, looking both intrigued and confused. "But then why must you maintain a lover? Or are you saying you could just as easily choose a female?"

"The power I draw comes from genuine affection and love," she explains. "That love can come in the form of romantic love, but is not that restrictive. It can be friendship, or yes - even concern. Your theory was correct in that. However, the strength of it determines the strength that can be absorbed, as well as the contact involved. The strength from a lover is strongest, because their love - if not simple lust alone - is usually the most potent, and they often share skin-to-skin contact. However, even a friend in close proximity who is not touching you can be affected minimally."

"But…" he seems to struggle with the concept. "You have been surrounded by those at Fairy Tail who care for you. Why are you continuing to weaken?"

"I'm not sure," she admits. "I didn't realize until recently that there was a problem at all until… well, anyway, I must be burning through more energy than I am absorbing each day. Eventually I will simply run out, but I have no idea how long that will take."

"Have you considered… ahem…" Freed clears his throat and looks even more uncomfortable than before, "approaching Natsu as a… temporary solution instead of a permanent one? He seems to be attracted to you, and would more than likely be a willing..."

Gina scoffs and tries once again to sit up and away from him. "That is not the point, Freed," she seethes. "I told you, this is my choice. I am tired. Why would I try to withdraw power from someone just to postpone the inevitable? Why do any of you even make suggestions like that? Don't you realize that any love I encourage from him will only cause him pain when I leave?"

"The Natsu that I know would risk his very life to save someone he cares about," Freed says earnestly, "and would never shy away from a little heartache."

"Which is exactly why you're not allowed to tell him," Gina scolds. "The very fact that he is compatible as a Sire is the reason I cannot take him as a lover - even if I was willing. Which I'm not."

"You are making utterly no sense," Freed says, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Do you know what makes a Sire a Sire, Freed?" she challenges.

"Obviously not," he sighs. "I had assumed it was a glorified title for a husband or mate."

"Not even close," she retorts. "A male mage does not become a Nymph Sire until after a biological and magical process is initiated after he's gotten a Nymph Queen pregnant. Sire does not mean 'husband,' it means 'father.' They are not respected for their skills as lovers, but for their role in the continuation and defense of our species. And birth control for Nymph Queens doesn't exist. I am not willing to trick him into taking a risk like that, or risking it myself."

"Oh… well that… goodness," Freed chokes, very much looking like he could die of embarrassment. Then he pauses, and looks at her more carefully. "So Laxus could be your lover for all that time because it was not possible for him to get you pregnant?"

"Exactly," she sighs.

"Well, that is a relief then," he says with a laugh, surprising Gina. "Then I have made the right choice in bringing you here."

"He's still not going to change my mind, Freed," she says sadly.

"We will see."

* * *

"You know…" Gray sighs, looking over at Lucy. "I'm gettin' really sick of this shit."

Natsu's nearly hysterical laughter rings out above his head, as the fire mage is set back down on firm ground by Happy. They all lost the magic mobile three traps ago, and have been on foot since.

"Stuff it, Natsu!" Lucy screeches. "This is not funny!"

"Are you kidding?!" he says, squatting down to look Gray in the face, since Gray's head is the only part of his body appearing above solid ground. He pokes Gray in the forehead. "This is the funniest thing I've seen all week!"

"Would you stop being an asshole, and get me out'a here?!" Gray shouts.

"No, get me first!" Lucy pleads. "I can't reach my keys!" Lucy's only stuck in the now-firm ground from the waist down, but both hands were trapped as well as she tried to push her way out.

"Oh, would you quit yer whinin'?" Gajeel complains, as Panther Lily sets him down and Carla sets down Wendy. The exceeds had done an amazing job of snatching up their slayers when this trap triggered.

"He changed up his methods," Erza notes. "I didn't see this coming." Erza nearly managed to escape, but is trapped only from the ankles down.

"You okay, Short Stuff?" Gajeel's voice asks in a more gentle tone off behind Gray's head. He can't turn to see, but he imagines that the big Iron dragon slayer must be talking to Levy.

"Yeah…" her voice mumbles weakly.

"I'm gonna kill that asshole when I see him!" Gajeel suddenly roars. "He could have gotten somebody killed with a stunt like that!"

"No actually he wouldn't," Levy responds, with a little more authority in her voice, but only a little. "The script has instructions built in to prevent things like suffocation or real injury. Otherwise I would be completely below ground."

"Well, ain't that just heroic," Gajeel scoffs.

"Okay, Levy," Gray decides to ask. "How do we get out of this one?"

"I don't know," she replies with a mournful tone. "I can't see."

"What does she mean, she can't see?" Gray asks Lucy.

Lucy looks back at him with sad eyes, and says, "Her eyes are below ground, Gray. She landed on her back, so her entire body is nearly underneath, but we can see her nose, mouth and throat."

"Holy hell!" he roars in frustration.

"What the hell are we supposed to do now?" Natsu asks, yanking on Lucy from around her waist.

"Ouch!" she yells. "Be careful!"

"Maybe if you lost a few pounds, this wouldn't be so damn hard!" he shouts back.

"Shouldn't have had those last deserts, Lucy!" Happy chimes in with a smile.

"Shut up, cat!" Lucy roars.

"This has nothing to do with Lucy's weight," Carla scolds them all.

"She's right," Erza agrees. "The ground is magically enhanced to resist our efforts and our magic. It's just another trap."

"Did you get the chance to see how long this one is supposed to last?" Gajeel asks who Gray assumes must be Levy.

"No, I didn't get that far," Levy replies with a sad tremble in her tone.

"Well," Panther Lily sighs in his deep base voice, "Then there isn't much we can do but wait."


	14. Chapter 14 - Lightning Dragon

Gina sets her bag down on the countertop gently, trying not to wake Ming, and asks the woman at the front desk of the hotel for her room key. Freed checks in beside her, and she turns to ask him, "How much time do you think we have?"

"Before what?" Freed asks with an arched eyebrow, "Before Laxus arrives, or before Natsu and the others catch up to us?"

"You really think they could track me all this way?" she asks a bit skeptically.

"Absolutely," Freed says without hesitation. "Natsu at least. I have seen him track someone a much greater distance. Our mode of travel gave us increased speed, but also narrowed down the options of where to look. As far as how long it will take him… that depends on several factors."

"Like what? His motion sickness?" Gina asks.

"Yes, that would normally slow him down, but not necessarily if he had the foresight to bring Wendy along," Free explains. "Her Troia spell generally works wonders to cure that. I have been setting traps for them along our way, however, and I hope that I have bought us at least an additional day."

"Traps?" Gina squeaks with concern.

"Don't worry," Freed sighs, rolling his eyes, "They're not designed to cause harm, just to delay them. Remember, I have to be in the same guild with these people long-term, even if you continue on with Laxus."

"Freed, I'm not going anywhere with…"

"Well I'll be damned…" a familiar bass voice breathes from behind her before breaking out into loud laughter.

Gina spins around in surprise, gawking at the incredibly large man behind her. He's built like a football player with wide muscular shoulders; even larger than he had been the last time she'd seen him. He has spiky blond hair, and a lightning-bolt-like scar over his right eye. He's wearing a sleeveless, high-necked, black tank top and maroon pants. The large purple coat is new, but the trademark headphones leave no doubt in her mind who he is.

 _Laxus?_ Despite her reluctance to meet with him, she can't prevent a huge smile from breaking out across her face.

"I didn't believe it at first…" Laxus says smoothly, calming down from his laughter, "but it has to be true. You haven't aged a day."

"You've barely aged either," she says, walking up and touching his face gently with her fingertips. "I swear it's been more than 7 years..."

"Actually, it's been 9," he corrects her, and and he grabs her hand gently. She begins counting in her head. "But I cheated too. I was trapped in a magic spell with the rest of these clowns for 7 years on Tenrou Island. I didn't age during that time either."

"Oh…" she breathes. "I didn't realize you were with them. It seems like a long time ago."

"Well, it doesn't really seem that long for me, Doll-face," he smirks. "I only remember you walking out a couple of years ago. This whole waking-up-years-later thing still freaks me out. It's kinda nice to see at least something that hasn't changed."

Gina's smile falters as Laxus holds her gaze steadily. There is no doubt that Freed has told him at least of her illness and flight. His posture is pure challenge, and he is waiting for her to make the first verbal strike. She suddenly feels like a kitten caught in the gaze of a bull dog, desperately trying to decide whether to flee. Laxus is a lightning dragon slayer. The odds of getting away from him now that he's shown himself are even slimmer than getting away from Natsu. When she'd left him before, she had succeeded because he wasn't expecting it. Now, he's scrutinizing her every movement.

"Laxus I don't know what you expect me to…"

"I expect you," he cuts her off, but smiles. "To go upstairs to your room and freshen up. Do whatever you women do to feel more… well, I would say _human_ , but that seems a bit ironic now doesn't it? And then I expect you to join me for dinner."

"Dinner?" she asks, eyeing him suspiciously.

He is about to answer her when Natsu's voice booms from the front door of the hotel.

"GINA?!" Natsu screams. "Gina? Are you in here?! Hey, mister… have you seen…"

Laxus's eyes roll back in his head in sudden irritation, and a vein begins to bulge on the side of his jaw. "I thought you were gonna take care of them?" he growls at Freed.

"There is no way they could have eluded all of my traps!" Freed argues in confusion. "I set them for hours worth of time. They couldn't have escaped them, unless…"

"Hey, loud-mouth!" Gajeel's voice adds itself to the fray behind them. "Did you find her?"

"Damn…" Freed mutters. "I did not expect Gajeel to join in on the hunt, but he most definitely brought Levy with him. She must have decoded the enchantments."

Gina takes half a step backwards as they discuss the issue, and she wonders if she can elude them all in the commotion.

"Oh, no you don't," Laxus snatches her against his body with a flash, and she squeaks in surprise.

"Hey! That sounded like her!" Natsu's voice shouts from just around the corner.

"You'd better play along, Doll-face," Laxus warns, "or I will expose you in front of the kiddies."

"Please, don't," she pleads with him, but can't say more because Natsu and Gajeel round the corner and lock eyes with them.

"What the hell…" Gajeel mumbles, eyeing Laxus warily and looking pointedly at how he is holding her.

"Gina!" Natsu shouts in apparent relief, and then gets an indignant expression. "Do you have any idea what the hell we've been through trying to… Laxus? What are you doing here?"

As he is rambling, an entire troop of Fairy Tail wizards come in behind them. Gray, Lucy, and Levy look haggard. Carla sets Wendy down on her feet gently, as Happy and Panther Lily fly behind. Erza strolls at the head of the pack as calm and collected as ever, but her own expression is confused as well.

"Laxus?" Erza echos Natsu's question. "Freed, what is the meaning of this?"

"Well isn't this one big family reunion?" Laxus laughs, throwing his head back. "Hiya, kiddies. Surprised to see me so soon?"

"Yeah, bolt-breath," Gray half-complains. "I'm shocked I'm saying this after everything your buddy here has pulled, but I'm kinda glad to see ya."

"Do you know this loser Gina?" Natsu asks with a grin.

"Of course she does, Natsu," Erza says, rolling her eyes.

 _ **This is my grand niece Gina…**_ she hears Makarov's words echo in her head. _Oh shit! They think I'm related to him! Oh, SO awkward…_

"Yeah," Gina attempts to intervene, "Laxus and I…"

"You mean she hasn't told you?" Laxus mocks, squeezing her tightly against him, and putting his face beside hers as he mocks them. "Gina and I go _way_ back."

 _Oh, no… don't!_ she thinks, but it's too late.

"How could you not tell them about us, Doll-face?" Laxus croons falsely.

"Us?" Gray asks, raising an eyebrow.

"This is no business of yours," Freed attempts to interject. "Now all of you, please…"

"I think your big, sparky hide better start explainin' why you're holdin' her like that," Gajeel threatens Laxus with narrowed eyes, "and why she looks so unhappy about it."

"Hold up," Laxus says, throwing his hand over his eyes with a new chuckle. "PLEASE tell me you're not dating one of these losers, Gina."

 _But he must know…_ Gina thinks in confusion.

"Smooth Laxus…" Gray complains, glancing anywhere but at her.

"What?" Natsu shouts in genuine surprise. "What is that supposed to mean?!"

"No, no," she hurries to clarify, hoping to steer him away from the topic entirely. "I've just been running on their team, and hoping to learn a thing or two more about my magic. I…"

Suddenly, Laxus simply reaches up behind her head and kisses her greedily before she has a chance to deflect his advance. Her initial shock is completely overridden by the familiar taste and smell of him, and she stupidly sinks into the embrace, feeling his affection sink into her bones like raw power. Before she knows it _he's_ pulling away from _her_ , to look in her eyes with that mischievous grin of his.

Then he leans his lips against her ear and whispers, "Don't make me ask you again… Cooperate, or I _will_ tell them."

Her blood runs cold at the threat, and her heart sinks. When he looks into her eyes again, she is surprised that his threat is genuine.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Carla shouts in apparent shock. The rest of the group has gone dead silent, but she's too frightened to turn and look.

"You should have dinner with me tonight," Laxus says, loud enough for the entire group of them to hear, and placing one more chaste kiss against her lips. "It's been a long time, and we have a lot of catching up to do, sweetheart."

"Sure…" she mumbles nervously as he sets her gently back on her feet. _Could this day get any worse…_ "Where would you…?"

"Suite 405," he says, already turning around with a casual wave. "I'll be ready by six. Don't be late… or I'll have to come looking for you."

Laxus grabs Freed by the arm on his way by, and tows him from the room. Then they're gone, and Gina is absolutely terrified of turning around and facing the rest of them. When she finally does, it's just as bad as she imagined. Gray looks torn between ice cold fury and confusion. Gajeel's eyes are narrowed, and focused on her body language. Erza has pity in her eyes, and is holding her hand over her mouth as if she's going to be sick. Lucy, Wendy, Levy, and the exceeds are frozen in a state of absolute shock, and Natsu… Natsu looks near volcanic with rage. His pupils are dilated and fixed to the floor.

 _Great…_ she thinks in utter defeat. _Just great…_ "Now, now, everyone… I know this looks weird, but…"

"Weird?!" Gray shouts first. "Weird doesn't even begin to cover it Gina! That's just… _wrong!_ "

"He's your… family," Erza's voice trembles, and she holds her stomach.

"Everyone calm down!" Gina snaps, trying to rescue this sinking ship. "Laxus is not related to me by blood in _any way_. You're right Gray. That would be… gross." She shudders involuntarily at the end.

"But Master Makarov said…" Lucy trembles.

"I know what he said," Gina cuts her off. "But you of all people should know that Makarov doesn't require blood ties for family."

"I think you've got a lot of explainin' to do little lady," Gajeel warns, but is obviously not jumping to the same conclusions as the others.

 _Come on girl… think!_ She tries to find more substance to fuse with the lie that's falling apart around her. "My relationship with Makarov is… complicated. He was sparing me the details with the title. Laxus and I have known each other a long time, and..."

"Seven years…" Lucy mumbles, obviously thinking about their time locked away at Tenrou. "Gina… is it true you haven't seen him since you were 12?" her voice squeaks in distress.

 _Oh shit… that's worse._ Gina panics.

"That would have made you just a little kid," Gray says, scrutinizing her reactions now.

"I knew I never liked that guy…" Gajeel mutters in disgust.

"Man, we all know that guy had a screw loose back then," Natsu seethes, still not taking his eyes from the floor. "But this is a whole new level of fucked up!"

"Oh come on, guys," she chides them, trying to make them feel foolish. "Is it really possible that I've gone all this time without seeing him? I'm seeing him now aren't I? What happened on Tenrou didn't happen yesterday, and he's not allowed back at the guild with _you_."

"Well…" Erza says, shaking her head, "I guess…"

"And you're okay with that?!" Natsu finally snaps, getting up in her face. "You're okay with that loser just _showing up_ every now and then, and kissing you like he _owns_ you?! You're not seriously going to go meet with him tonight are you?! I swear I'll…"

"Stay out of it, Natsu!" she explodes at him, barely reigning in her fire magic in her fury. It sucked to think they could be lead to believe these things about her, but it was completely unfair to Laxus. She was decades older than he was, even back then. He was an unlucky lover, and a power-hungry fool, but not the monster they were so willing to believe. "My relationship with Laxus is none of _your_ business! Not any of you!"

"I know, Gina…" Lucy tries to intervene. "That's not even why we're here. We were…"

"I know you are all confused," Gina says, trying to reign in her anger, "but it is _wrong_ for you to judge Laxus like this when you know nothing about our relationship. He doesn't deserve to have these types of things implied about him."

"He still kissed you without even asking you first…" Natsu growls dangerously.

"Did I slap him?" she challenges. "Did I look offended?"

"Obviously not…" Gajeel scoffs.

"Then you have no right to give him trouble about it," Gina huffs.

"I don't care about Laxus!" Wendy suddenly shouts, then looks shocked at her own outburst. "I mean…" she whispers more quietly. "We came here to bring you home, Gina. Master Makarov said you are sick. We want to help you." The tears in the little girl's eyes are heart-wrenching, and Gina hates herself for putting them there.

"Oh, Wendy," Gina kneels down, feeling her anger dispel as she takes the small girl's hands in her own. "I'm afraid not even your dragon slayer healing magic can help me in this."

"So, tell us what can, and we'll do it," Natsu says, flaring a fist as he strikes his palm.

"It's not that simple, Natsu," Gina argues, not meeting his eyes.

"How about you start by telling us what's wrong with you?" Gray presses her once again.

"I'm sorry you've all wasted your time," Gina sighs, standing back up and turning back towards the hotel counter. Ming is standing up inside her bag and glaring at her, but he remains silent.

"Wait," Erza cuts in again. "Gina, we've all come a long way, and we're all tired. All we're asking for is the chance to talk to you. Please, after everything we've been through… don't walk away without giving us that."

"Aye…" Happy says sadly.

"I cannot give you the answers you want," Gina pleads with her without turning around.

"If you think you can get away from us that easily, you're fooling yourself," Natsu warns. "I won't stop, and I won't leave you alone until you hear us out. I'll follow you until you're too tired to walk away anymore."

"Why?" she asks, turning back to him and fighting tears. "Why won't you just let me go?"

"Because you're my friend, Gina," he replies earnestly. "Did you want me following you when you went to go see that old guy the day he died?"

"Really, Salamander?" Gajeel sighs, almost to himself, while rubbing his neck.

"No," she replies with teeth clenched. "You had no right."

"Well, this is no different in my book," Natsu argues.

"What does that even mean?" she asks, completely missing his point.

"You went alone that night, to face down death by yourself," Natsu explains, walking up and taking her hands.

He leans his forehead against hers, closing his eyes, and Gina feels her breath catch in her chest as her own eyes close in response. The call of his fire magic to her is stronger than ever, and worse, the love radiating from him is palpable - almost frightening in its sudden intensity. She can't stop her hands from trembling as she feels it soak into her bones as strongly as it did in the garden that night. This is not what she wants for him, but she cannot bring herself to hurt him in this moment by pulling away.

"You felt like you needed to be alone then," Natsu continues, "but you were _wrong_. You needed a shoulder to cry on. You needed someone else to be strong, and to take care of you for just a little while. I only followed you because I was worried about you. I didn't understand why you were acting so strange, and I don't understand it now. But I am _not_ walking away, Gina, and I'm not gonna pretend that I don't see that you're in pain. None of us will."

Gina hates the tears she can feel on her own cheeks, almost as much as she hates the strength she feels just soaking in his earnest care for her.

"I'm going to hurt you, Natsu," she whispers, and looks back into his eyes.

"I'm not afraid of getting a little hurt," he argues with a smirk.

Suddenly, his face registers mild panic, and he drops her hands and steps back from her quickly. Gina is surprised as she sees him suddenly grab Gray by the shirt collar, and shove him at her. Gray also seems surprised for just a moment, but then a thought seems to dawn on him, and he closes his arms around her in a tight embrace. Gina can immediately feel the sting of Gray's ice-make magic blended with his own affection and concern.

"Natsu's right, Gina," Gray echos, resting his chin on top of her head. "We're not just gonna sit back and watch you go through this alone. We're just askin' for you to talk to us about it. Can ya do that? Please?"

"In the morning," Gina chokes, "I'm tired guys. Can we talk about this in the morning?"

"Sure thing," Gray agrees. "As long as you promise not to bolt again."

"I promise," Gina sniffs, pulling away from him and snatching up Ming in her bag from the counter. She grabs the key to her room with a trembling hand from the confused front desk staff, and hurries off to her room without looking back.

 _Damn… and I still have to deal with Laxus._

* * *

"So, what the hell is the plan now?" Gajeel asks, irritated by the entire series of events.

"I guess we should get rooms too," Levy sighs, looking slightly dead on her feet. The iron dragon slayer eyes her again carefully, checking for any sign that she is lying to him about being injured in the last trap, but finds none. It still pisses him off.

"Yeah," Gray agrees. "How do we wanna split things up?"

"I'll check in with the front desk staff," Erza declares, defaulting to her typical role as leader without bothering to ask the rest of them. "They should be able to divide us up into a couple of the larger suites. I recommend a room for myself, Lucy, Wendy and Levy, and a separate room for Gajeel, Gray, and Natsu. They won't count the exceeds, but they can divide up with us as they wish."

"That sounds like a good plan," Lucy yawns. "God I could use a shower…"

"Yeah, me too," Levy laughs, and Gajeel suddenly finds himself distracted. The pretty little bluette seems to have a knack for saying things that will make it impossible for him to sleep.

"What are we gonna do about food?" Wendy asks softly, with her stomach echoing her thought much louder.

"We should all grab somethin' down here in the restaurant," Natsu says, pointing a thumb over his shoulder. "One of you girls should invite Gina too."

"Actually," Levy hedges nervously, "It sounds like she already has dinner plans to me."

"You think I care about her plans with that jackass?" Natsu replies in a threatening tone.

"Hey, back off hot-head," Gajeel warns dangerously.

"You heard what he said to her…" Natsu seethes, meeting his eyes.

"Yeah, I did," he confirms, "and I think it's a dick move, but that doesn't give us the right to interfere. I gave her every opportunity to ask for help."

"What the hell are you guys talkin' about?" Gray complains, confused.

"Laxus threatened Gina," Natsu barks, fists flaring again.

"What? When?" Lucy asks.

"When he made that big show of stickin' his tongue down her throat," Gajeel explains in disgust, "He threatened to tell us something if she didn't _cooperate."_

"Why didn't you say something?!" Erza roars in disgust.

"Because he knew that we heard him," Gajeel fires back. "He knows Natsu and I both have dragon slayer hearing, and he wasn't ashamed of it when I looked him in the eye. Like I said… it was a dick move, but whatever dirt he has on her is something that she doesn't want us knowin'. I gave her a way out, and she chose him instead."

"Who the hell cares?!" Natsu rages. "I vote we make her go to dinner with us. He has no right to treat her that way!"

"I'm sorry guys," Levy says solemnly, "but on this one I can't agree. Laxus can be an ass, but I don't believe that he would really hurt her. Gina should have the chance to sort things out with him on her own. I don't think we know enough about anything to go sticking our noses in where they don't belong."

"I agree with Levy," Erza says with a heavy sigh. "We told Gina we would give her until morning, and we're going to stick to what we agreed."

* * *

Gina stands in front of the door of Laxus's suite in an evening gown she managed to find at a shop downstairs. She fidgets with her purse as she tries to decide, yet again, what to do. Part of her genuinely wants to see Laxus, but the larger part of her is worried about how he may try to pressure her to change her mind. One thing is for certain. If Freed has told him of her choice, she can't walk away with everything unsaid.

 _Would he really expose me, just to spite me?_ she wonders in genuine fear. _How much has Freed told him? Why did it feel like he still loved me when he kissed me downstairs?..._

The questions won't stop pouring through her mind, and before she's even decided to knock, the door creaks open. Laxus is standing there with a devastatingly handsome grin. He hasn't changed clothes, and she suddenly feels overdressed.

"Oh… I… wasn't sure where you wanted to go tonight," she flutters her hands around nervously as she talks. "Maybe I shouldn't have…"

"You look amazing," Laxus says, taking her hand and pulling her inside his suite. "but I thought we could order dinner in tonight. Save us all the time and hassle of going somewhere, and give us a little more privacy."

He pulls her up against his body, and gently shuts the door behind her. He lifts his hand up and runs his fingertips along the side of her face. "I almost didn't believe it when I saw you just standing there," he says in a deep, rich tone. "You looked exactly like I remember. Exactly like the day you walked out on me. So beautiful…"

He leans in and kisses her, and God help her… she just stands there like a deer caught in the headlights and lets him. His mouth is gentle at first, but grows more urgent quickly. He pulls her tighter against him; one arm trailing up to the back of her neck while the other trails down to her behind. She can feel genuine love and affection pouring from him, and feel her body soaking it up eagerly. Her heart begins to break, and she pulls away.

"Laxus, I can't," she chokes.

"Shh, shh, shhhhh…" he soothes her, pulling her in against his chest, and resting his head on top of hers. "Too soon. I'm sorry, you know me. How about that dinner I promised?"

He turns around and gestures to a large table in his suite already filled with hot food. An ice bucket sits on the side with a bottle of champagne inside. Red roses fill a small vase by her chair.

"Good grief, Laxus," she chokes in surprise. "Laying it on a little thick aren't we?"

"Hey Doll-face, it's not every day a guy gets to run into an old lover and invite her to dinner."

She smiles back as she takes her seat.

* * *

"I can't believe you guys!" Natsu shouts at Gray, chucking a pillow at his head with all the force he can muster. "What the hell is wrong with everybody!?"

"You don't seem to get it, flame-brain!" Gray screams back, equally angry. "She doesn't want our help!"

Gray's just as upset as Natsu about how things with Gina turned out. It had shocked him to see the big lightning mage kiss the hell out of her like that, but then hearing that Laxus threatened her pissed him off. Gajeel had taken Levy and Panther Lily out to dinner already, and Natsu was fighting Gray to go retrieve Gina before they left with the others. Lucy had tried to invite Gina anyway, after Natsu had begged her and Gray had agreed, but Gina had turned them down.

"So what?!" Natsu argues. "That doesn't mean we don't stop her!"

"Stop her how?!" Gray throws his arms in the air. "Are you going to tie her up in her room?!"

"Hell Yeah!" Natsu retorts, smacking his flaming fist into his other palm. "If that's what it takes to keep her from being stupid! I can't believe you! Mr. Ice Prince 'Oohh aren't I mister charming'," he mocks. "Then you just let some other guy come in and kiss her right in front of you?! You should have punched his lights out!"

"I TOLD YOU, she's NOT my GIRLFRIEND!" Gray says, shoving Natsu in the chest with both palms.

"I'm not an idiot!" Natsu shouts, shoving back. "You think I don't see her hug you hello and goodbye every day?! You don't think I realize how much you guys go off and talk by yourselves?!"

"That doesn't make her my girlfriend, you idiot! It makes her my friend!" Gray punches Natsu in the head. "I already told you that all of that was about her being sick!"

"Oh please," Natsu scoffs, throwing a punch at Gray's side. "You expect me to believe that's all it is?"

"You've never bothered to ASK me if she was my girlfriend!" Gray screams in frustration. "You just told the entire guild she was without asking either one of us!" He dodges Natsu's punch, and comes around swinging with another of his own. "And what about you?! You just stood there too! If you feel so strongly about it, you should have done something!"

"ME?!" Natsu says, backing up into a table as he dodges, and then kicking Gray squarely in the stomach. "She can barely stand me on a good day! She wouldn't listen to me! If you remember, I TRIED to tell her how stupid she was being!"

"I know…" Gray groans, standing back up and clutching his stomach, "Look man, I don't wanna fight you okay. This just sucks."

"AAArrrrrrrggggghhhhh!" Natsu shouts, and begins punching the life out of his mattress over and over again. "God damn it! Stupid! I've gotta fight something or I'm gonna go CRAZY!"

Gray just watches his friend lose his marbles against the furniture, feeling sick. He hasn't felt this useless in a long time.

" **There are a lot of things about me that I can't explain," Gina had whispered with tears in her eyes. "Please, Gray. I have no right to ask this of you, but I need your help."**

 _Damn… I thought I was helping, but this… this is too much, man._


	15. Chapter 15 - Spark to Cinder

"So how is the old man anyway?" Laxus asks, slowing down on his meal. They'd been talking about life and Fairy Tail for a little less than a half an hour now – all purely superficial.

"He's doing well from what I can tell," she replies with a smile. "Well enough to scare the life out of me before I realized he knew I was…"

She pauses and looks into Laxus's eyes. She'd avoided the topic so far, and so had he. Now there it was. _What does he really know?_

"That you're a fire nymph?" he says, settling back into his chair with a serious expression and toying with the champagne in his glass.

"Yes, that." Gina sets down her silverware, and pulls her hands into her lap in a defensive posture. She keeps her eyes down on the tablecloth as she asks, "I take it Freed told you?"

"No, actually," he says, surprising her and taking a sip from the glass. "I've known since about a year after you left me. I wasn't willing to just let you go. I didn't stop until I learned the truth."

"But how…?" she asks, dumbfounded. "No one knew…"

"You did a good job of clearing your tracks when you left," he continues with a smirk. "Much better than you'd done before you met me. When I got tired of dead ends and empty leads, I decided to track you backwards instead; looking for answers. I tracked you all the way back to your father. He finally told me the truth."

"You met with Axis?!" she shouts in stunned surprise. "Are you out of your mind?!"

"I was… but I didn't want to let you go."

Gina feels sick all over again, and she can't stop the tears from welling up in her eyes. The thought of him tearing up the countryside looking for her hurts so much. He was so different then… so determined to become strong enough to beat Makarov. He hadn't been completely honest with her either, hiding who his grandfather really was to avoid living in his shadow. She had avoided Fairy Tail until she learned he was no longer in the guild.

"Naturally, he kicked my ass," Laxus chuckles. "I wasn't as strong then as I am now, but even now I doubt I could beat him. Then once he'd tired me out, he sat down and explained what you were… and why I couldn't have you."

"So you know I can't be with you?" she asks, even more confused. "Laxus… Why did you ask me to come here tonight?"

"Because I want to make love to you again, obviously," he chuckles, throwing his arms up behind his head and showing off his physique. "Frankly, Freed _did_ tell me about your brainless idea of dying, and I think it's bullshit. He didn't know that I already knew you were a nymph so watching him try to explain it was hilarious. But it sounds like you're running on empty. So I figure… I help boost your energy a little bit, and get to make love to a beautiful woman. It's a win-win in my book."

"You always were blunt," she says with a smile.

"Sorry, I just don't see the point in dancing around the issue," he shrugs. "I still want you."

"No it's… oddly it's one of the things I love about you, Laxus. You just say what you mean. But sex isn't what 'boosts my energy'," she scoffs. "That's a myth."

"Yeah, but it sure wouldn't hurt," he says, leaning forward and grinning like the devil. "I know it's only 'real love' and affection that feed a nymph's energy, but who said that had to come in a boring package?" He begins to laugh. "I know what you told Freed, but you can't seriously sit there and tell me you've been abstinent all these…"

Laxus's laughter dims as he stares at her, then genuine confusion sweeps across his features before his jaw goes slack. "Ho-ly God… you seriously have?" he says in disbelief.

"It's none of your business anymore," she says with a sniff, rising out of her chair and running to stand by the window.

"My ass it isn't…" he grumbles, rising to follow her. "Why would you starve yourself of that much power? Your father said a life like that would make a nymph wither and die, and Freed said that's exactly what you're aiming for. I can't believe you'd be stupid enough to actually do it! What the hell has gotten into you?!"

"I'm tired of one-sided relationships Laxus!" she turns, shouting at him with her fists balled at her sides. "I'm tired of hiding all the time! I'm tired of hurting people, like I hurt you!"

"So you burned me once or twice?" he shouts back in disbelief, "So what?! You think I would have given that up just to save myself a few scars?"

"A few scars…" she laughs without humor, looking out over the town through the glass. "I nearly killed you, Laxus. You would have burned alive, or died of smoke inhalation if I hadn't woken to you choking that night. You're a powerful wizard, and you can take a lot of heat, but not that much, and not when your guard is down."

"I get that now," he says, with a nervous shrug to his shoulders, "but that still doesn't explain why you haven't had more relationships after me. You need love like a human needs oxygen. I'm gonna be honest babe, I haven't been a saint over here… and I don't plan to be."

"It wasn't just the fire," she tries to explain. "Every time you kissed me… every time we made love… I could feel it weakening you. I could feel it feeding my power. I never got to give you anything back. I couldn't even give you children! My father explained that too, right? I am only compatible with a fire mage. Even with the rare gift I have among my people – the _possibility_ of having children – I still don't really get to choose! I have to narrow down and evaluate. It's my responsibility to find a compatible mage and _carry on the species_. They never would have accepted you, and I just kept hurting you every day. I lived like a leech long before I met you, and I'm tired of it."

She rubs at her arms, trying to ward off the heat rising under her skin. "I just decided I didn't want to anymore. So I've been doing this instead. I travel from guild to guild, soaking up what I can get from companionship – hiding what I am. I always have a mage I target; my excuse to my people for keeping on the move. They hold out a false hope that I will find a fire mage that satisfies me and somehow convince him to become a Nymph Sire. Meanwhile, I get to see the world, and I stop hurting people. I never take more affection from someone than can easily be replaced."

"But it's killing you, sweetheart," Laxus coos in her ear, stepping in behind her and rubbing his hands up and down her sides.

"No one is meant to live forever anyway," she argues, "I didn't realize how weak I had become until very recently, but by then I didn't want to fight it anymore. Maybe I was a mistake. Maybe I'm not cut out to be what I am… like my sisters are."

"Wait…" Laxus says, stepping back from her suddenly. "A fire mage?" Laxus begins to laugh, slowly at first before it becomes a full roaring sound.

"What is so funny?" she asks.

" _NATSU?!"_ Laxus shouts with tears in his eyes from laughter. "Freed, you son of a bitch. Your target is _Natsu Dragneel_? God the universe fucking hates me. Natsu… the little… runt."

* * *

"What's up you Big Lug?" Levy asks, eyeing Gajeel suspiciously. He hasn't even touched his food. He's watching Natsu mope over at the other end of the table, as Lucy tries to get the other dragon slayer to eat too.

"Just thinkin…" Gajeel mumbles in his gravelly voice.

"About?" she presses.

"It's just weird to see him so worked up over a _woman_ ," Gajeel admits.

Levy feels her heart sink slightly, and stares down at her rice. "Well, he seems to really care about her."

"I don't see why," Gajeel argues, finally turning towards her, "She treats him like shit."

"Love can be weird that way," Levy tries to explain. "Sometimes people love someone who doesn't love them back."

Levy suspects that she knows exactly how Natsu feels. Levy has adored this big lug since shortly after he arrived at Fairy Tail, but he doesn't seem to want any more from her. It's true that their relationship was handicapped from the beginning. Gajeel had hurt her severely and publicly as part of a strike against the heart of Fairy Tail while he was still in the Phantom Lord guild. But not long after their guild had been defeated, and he'd joined up with Fairy Tail, Gajeel had stepped in to defend her from Laxus himself back when Laxus had been power hungry and foolish.

"That's not love," Gajeel argues. "It's infatuation, and it only gets the person hurt."

Levy looks away, watching Natsu for a moment herself.

"Maybe you're right," she admits, talking about herself more than Natsu, "but I'm not sure he can change how he feels. He cares about Gina, and that's not wrong. He may be stuck as her friend forever," she swallows around the lump in her throat, "or he may get to be more than that someday. Either way, I'm sure he would rather have her around than lose her altogether. That would hurt worse."

"But he _is_ losin' her," Gajeel says with a sigh, looking slightly pained. "Makarov says she's dyin'. How's he gonna feel when she's gone, and he's got... nothin' left but a bunch of empty dreams?"

"All the more reason for him to try," Pather Lily chimes in from beside Levy in his deep base voice. "To sit back and do nothing is worse. What if she dies next week, and Natsu never told her how he felt? What if he could have had that whole week to spend with her as her partner instead?"

"Who the hell asked you?" Gajeel spits.

"No one," Panther Lily says with narrowed eyes, "but it was about time to say it."

* * *

"I don't see what's so funny…" Gina says, getting annoyed at Laxus's humor in the situation.

He laughs all the way over to his big bed and then flops backwards onto it, wiping his eyes.

"Of course you wouldn't…" he mumbles.

"You don't like him?" she asks, genuinely interested in his opinion.

"He's a snot-nosed brat!" Laxus shouts. "I've known him since he was a little kid. He's impulsive, impatient, loud, and generally obnoxious."

"Hmmm…" she teases, sitting down beside him. "Sounds like someone else I knew once…"

"Don't compare me to him," Laxus says, losing his friendly tone. "Seriously, Natsu and I have a long and tense history Doll-face. He's half the reason I didn't succeed at beating the old man, and taking over Fairy Tail."

"But I thought you said that was for the best…" she asks, confused.

"So what if it was?" Laxus says with a huff. "No man wants to get blocked like that. Not by a couple of brats from your own guild."

"Do you think he would hurt me?" Gina asks.

"Natsu?" he says, rolling over to look her in the eyes. "Not a chance. I know he's a dragon-slayer, if that's what you're worried about, but so am I. It doesn't make us mindless slaves to the element. And as much as he annoys the shit out of me… he wouldn't hurt you. He's not that kind of guy."

Gina remembers Natsu's smile, and the way he plays with Happy. He's nothing like the Salamander she'd heard about in stories. "Well, it makes no difference."

Laxus narrows his eyes as he watches her. "Now hold up," he says, sitting up and rubbing his face. "I can't believe I am asking you this, but why the hell not?"

"I won't accept him," she states simply, moving to walk away.

Laxus catches her by the wrist. "Let me get this straight. You have sworn off relationships because you're tired of hurting non-fire mages. But that means you're dying. Natsu is your fake target, so… why the hell isn't he your real one? It seems like the brat could muster up at least enough affection to get you by until you find someone better."

"That's not the point," she hedges.

"What isn't?" Laxus asks, refusing to allow her to escape.

"I don't want to talk about this," she pulls her arm back, but he refuses to release her.

"Well tough shit, sweetheart," Laxus barks. "If you think I'm gonna let you walk off into the sunset to die, you're truly out of your goddamn mind. You're either going to talk to me about it... you're gonna sleep with me and then talk with me about it... or I'm gonna find the brat and explain to him why you went to Fairy Tail in the first place. So which is it gonna be?"

"I'm a grown woman, Laxus," she scoffs. "I can make my own choices."

"Well you're acting like a child," Laxus argues. "You lose that argument when you start acting like you don't care if you die."

"I don't!" she shouts. She throws her hands over her mouth in shock as Laxus's grip suddenly goes lax; instantly wishing she could take the words back.

Laxus's eyes go wide, and then narrow severely as his expression morphs into real anger. "Then we've got a real problem Doll-face," he spits. "Cause I'm not gonna let that happen."

Laxus reaches out in a flash and pulls her down into a kneeling position, straddling his lap. He puts his arms around her waist, locking them together behind her and pinning her in place with his big forearms against her hips.

"What are you doing?!" she scolds. "Let me go!" She can feel his care for her soaking into her body and she hates it.

"Not a chance," he scoffs.

"Do none of you Fairy Tail wizards have any respect at all for a person's choices?!" she rails at him.

"We value _life,_ Gina," he scolds, as the energy draw from him only increases. " _Life_ is what's important. Friendship and family are what matter. _You_ matter to me, god dammit. Yeah, it hurt like hell when you left without a word. I didn't understand what I'd done wrong. Then I met your dad, and realized it wasn't meant to be. I wasn't what you really needed. It sucked, but I moved on with my life. You haven't! You're still stuck in that goddamn hotel room, with the curtains on fire!"

"I am not!" she shouts, hating how much she sounds like a child to her own ears.

"I didn't die, sweetheart," Laxus croons in a gentler tone, attempting to nuzzle his face against hers despite her attempt to pull away. "You didn't even hurt me that bad."

"I'm hurting you now," she sobs, closing her eyes and hating the tears that begin to spill down her cheeks. "I'm hurting you like I'm hurting Natsu, Gray and Lucy," she chokes, forcing her voice to work.

"I don't feel hurt. The kiddies looked fine to me downstairs," he chuckles with a smile. "A little banged up and irritated, but not too different than normal in my book."

"Gavin died," she whispers.

Laxus's expression becomes guarded, and he watches her carefully as he asks, "Who's that?"

"My first lover," she explains.

"When did he die?"

Gina walks Laxus through what happened with Gavin; meeting him again in Mapleton, returning to him when he called for her, and watching him pass away quietly. By the end of the story, her entire body is trembling and her brain feels slightly numb. It's the first time she's really talked about it since it happened, and it feels as raw as if it were yesterday.

"I felt the last of his life slip into me as he died," she whispers.

"It sounds like that's what he wanted," Laxus says gently, rubbing her lower back with his fingertips while keeping his arms carefully placed to prevent her from escaping.

"How is that any different from what I want?" Gina asks sincerely, meeting his eyes again.

Laxus swallows hard, and clenches his jaw. He thinks for a long time before he answers.

"I think that depends on why you want it," he finally says, obviously waiting for her response.

Gina struggles with how to explain. "I am tired Laxus. I told you that. I hate… I hate this feeling. This…" she points to his arms. "I… I can _feel_ it when all of you care for me. I can feel that drain from you. When I got back to Magnolia that night I was so angry. I hated what I'd felt get stolen from Gavin because he was stupid enough to want me there. I kind of… melted down in the middle of Magnolia's big garden. I realized that I was going to have to endure this over and over again - watching everyone I love die, one by one. The next thing I knew… Natsu was there and he… he tried to stop me. I was so distraught I just collapsed and cried. He held me, and I could feel it all over again," Gina's voice breaks, but she tries to push through, "I could feel his strength soaking into my bones, making me stronger when I wanted to fade more than anything. It's the same thing I feel from you now, and I can't stand it anymore!"

* * *

Natsu stares at the ceiling above his shredded mattress, still fuming. _This is so dumb!_ He argues with himself; since Gray has finally given up and gone to bed. Everyone had left the restaurant, and just gone to bed like nothing was wrong. Like Gina wasn't up there with Laxus pushing her around.

Every time he closes his eyes, all he can see is Laxus kissing Gina. It makes him so angry he can't think straight. He wants to burn that smug look off of Laxus's face.

 _So what if she practically hates me! So what if she never listens to what I say! She shouldn't be with him! She should…_ but deep down, Natsu knows he's angry because he's jealous of the big lightning mage. No matter who Gina is as a person, she deserves better.

Laxus is a spoiled ass in his opinion. He has an amazing grandfather, amazing talent, and an ego the size of a small town. He nearly destroyed their guild, and hurt gramps, just to take it for himself. They managed to stop him, but it was a close call. Sure he showed up and helped at Tenrou Island, and Natsu was happy he did… but he sure isn't happy now. Now, the most beautiful woman Natsu has ever met, just let the big jackass stroll up and take what he wanted.

 _Was he kissing her now…? And he threatened her! There is no way that relationship is healthy! Someone should just go in there, and tell her to come home and go to bed!_

Natsu pictures Gina curling up in her soft down mattress in her own room, stretching like a cat and snuggling in with that awful smelling Ming. But then he sees Laxus looming over her, smelling her delicious scent, kissing her throat….

"AAAAHHHHHGGGG!" he shouts. He sits up and into a kneeling position, and then begins bashing his forehead against the wall. "Stop! Thinking! About her!"

* * *

"So wait a minute…" Laxus says, sighing and rolling his head around on his shoulders without letting her escape. "I thought it was supposed to be different with a fire mage. Axis said they get boosted by your magic right back."

Gina instantly looks guilty again instead of just depressed. She won't meet his eyes.

"That's right," she hedges.

"So why was feeling a draw from Natsu a bad thing?" Laxus asks, still trying to figure out why she's so hell-bent on dying. "Are you actually hurting him?"

"No," Gina admits, still not meeting his eyes.

"So…" he presses, getting irritated again. "Why is him caring about you a problem?"

"Because I'm not choosing him," she sighs.

 _Makes sense…_ Laxus figures, but something about it still doesn't sit right. He can tell she's not being completely honest with him.

"I wanted to stay at Fairy Tail, honestly," she says suddenly, changing the topic. "I don't really know how much time I have left. It could be a long time; especially with how caring everyone there is. But there's no real way to know. I could have years left, or I could have days."

The idea that she could have so little time sets his nerves on edge again, but she seems determined to fight him on this. He starts to rub small circles into her lower back again, remembering how it used to help her relax.

"So why didn't you stay?" he asks.

"I couldn't continue to keep my contract with Makarov open once I knew my plans had changed," she explains. "I had Makarov close it, so he - and technically the guild itself - would be bound by the privacy agreement. Then I admitted to him that I realized I was dying, and asked for his permission to stay until that time came."

"The old man turned you away?" Laxus scoffs, unable to believe his grandfather would do such a thing.

"He was furious," she says with a sad smile that makes him want to scream. "He wanted to force me to go kiss Natsu, or something equally foolish. He didn't want everyone in Fairy Tail to suffer as they watched me die, and in hindsight, he was right. It was selfish of me to even ask."

"It's not selfish, but it is stupid," he grunts. "I know things suck right now, Doll-face, but you've gotta snap out of this crazy shit. Why are you suddenly so convinced that you'll never find a fire mage worth staying alive for?"

"Don't you get it?" Gina says, suddenly looking angry as tears begin to spill down her cheeks again. "I have lived a _long time_ Laxus. People that I love are dying of old age! They will keep doing so. I am going to have to watch Makarov, Gray, Lucy, Erza and everyone else in Fairy Tail die. _You_ are going to die. I'm going to fall in love with _more_ people, who are all eventually _going to die_. Even if I choose a Sire, he will have to go through the same thing! How could I ever actually love someone, and doom them to a fate like that?"

 _Damn…_ Laxus thinks, hating to see how much pain she's in but desperate to stop her from letting herself die. _She's got her head all screwed up… but if she would just take more time…_

He can't feel any draw of energy like she obviously can, but wonders once again if he can boost it. Freed said something about skin-to-skin contact being strongest. He remembers feeling worn out every time he'd slept with her before, but had just chalked it up to having too much fun. She hadn't been his first lover, or his last, but he'd fallen for her like a love sick puppy all those years ago. He knew they had no future together, and he was okay with that, but he isn't okay with this giving-up shit. He just needs time to convince her.

"Sweetheart," he sighs, kissing the tears on her cheek gently. "I think you need to take a deep breath and give yourself some time."

He threads his fingers through her sleek black hair behind her head and kisses her, focusing on how much she means to him.

"Laxus, don't…" she says, pressing against his shoulders weakly.

"Oh come on," he rumbles, kissing and suckling his way along her neck and trying to convince her with his body. "Feel that? You know I still love you… what would it hurt? Just one more night…"

* * *

"GAAAAHHHHH! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"

"God damn," Gajeel groans, throwing a pillow over his head. "Keep it down!"

"What the hell?" Gray sits up suddenly, looking disoriented and half-asleep.

"Nevermind! Just go back to sleep!" Natsu shouts, barreling out of his hotel room only in his shorts and scarf.

Natsu runs down the hallway and straight up three flights of stairs to get to the fourth floor. When he bursts through that door, he realizes most other people are sleeping so he tries to sneak through the hallways looking for the right room.

"405…405…405…" he mumbles to himself trying to follow her scent. "How hard can it be to find 405?"

Then he sees it… the last room on the right. He runs up to the door, and then hesitates. _God if she doesn't already hate me… she will now. But what if she's in trouble…?_ He presses his ear against the door, listening with all his ability.

"Laxus," he hears Gina's voice clearly from the other side. "Please, stop…"

"Enough for me!" Natsu shouts, throwing his shoulder into the door. The doorframe splinters as it flies open and slams against the wall.

"Where are you Gina?!" he shouts, barreling into the main room.

Off to the side he sees her, sitting on Laxus's lap and pushing back on the bastard's shoulders, as if trying to get away. She has some kinda weird, pretty dress on but the skirt is hiked up super high. Laxus's hand is inside it, gripping the bare skin of her hip. His lips are on her chest, and Natsu watches a single tear drop from her eye as he realizes it looks like she's already been crying.

"She said STOP!" he screams while still running. He rips Gina off Laxus's lap, and punches him in the gut hard enough to send him flying sideways into the wall with a loud thud. As Laxus is still flying, Natsu pulls Gina around behind him, placing his body between her and Laxus. "I know you're gonna hate me for this, Gina," he whispers to her, "but stay behind me!"

"Why you little punk!" Laxus shouts, getting to his feet beside the big bed with balled fists. "What the hell is the matter with you?!"

Lightning begins to spark all over the surface of Laxus's skin, and Natsu lets the fire flare to life in his hands. Strangely, protecting Gina this way makes him feel even more powerful than normal… like he's just consumed an entire explosion.

"You've put a fire in my belly with this one, you big jerk!" Natsu shouts at him. "You should learn to listen! She said stop!"

"And you think that gives you the right to interfere, you little runt?!" Laxus rages at him.

Laxus raises a fist covered in lightning magic, and Natsu braces for the hit.

"STOP!" Gina screams, and Natsu is shocked to realize she is suddenly face-to-face with him; looking him in the eye as she attempts to shield his entire body and face from the blow. She has a death grip on the back of his head with both of her little hands.

 _What the hell?!_ Natsu's mind screams. _She could really get hurt!_

Laxus's fist stops an inch behind her head, and Natsu glances at his face to see him take a step back, visibly shaken.

"Please, Laxus," Gina says with a trembling voice; closing her eyes and refusing to move from her position blocking Natsu. "He's just trying to protect me. Please… Don't hurt Natsu because of me. Please…"

"Awww… it's okay Gina," Natsu tries to respond in a reassuring tone, while watching Laxus carefully. He reaches up to place his hands on her elbows, but she won't let go. "Laxus and I fight all the time. Isn't that right big guy?"

Laxus swallows hard before dropping his fist and dispersing his lightning magic.

"I'm sorry if we scared you," Natsu continues, staring Laxus in the eye and daring him to frighten her again. "Sometimes, I just get a little carried away. I guess Laxus does too, right?"

He narrows his eyes at the big man. Part of him is still itching for a fight, but there's no way he'd risk Gina getting hurt, and she seems determined to get in the way. _Can't believe she thinks He would hurt Me…_ his wounded pride whines.

"I'm sorry, Gina," Laxus finally says, shrugging his shoulders as if he doesn't care. "Let the little punk take you home."

"Take me home, Natsu," she mumbles, loosening her grip on his head and letting her hands slide down his chest.

Hearing those words leave her lips makes his heart skip a beat. _Ha! Showed that guy!_ He grabs her hand and begins to lead her out the door, but she hesitates and turns back to Laxus.

"I didn't mean to…" she squeaks.

"Just go," Laxus cuts her off. "I'll say goodbye in the morning."

Natsu slowly escorts Gina back to her room on the third floor. When they arrive at her door, she just stands there and stares at it for a long time. It makes Natsu feel fidgety and nervous.

"You okay?" he asks. _Dumb question…_ She spins around suddenly and latches onto him in a vice-like hug, tucking her face into his neck with a small sob. "Whoa… hey. Look, I'm sorry if I…" he flounders.

Then without warning, her lips are on his. Just briefly. Just enough to make his head spin with surprise, and his magic spark within him like a small explosion in the pit of his stomach.

"Thank you," she whispers.

Then she turns around and disappears into her hotel room. He stands there, gawking at her door like an idiot for a full 15 minutes before trudging back down to his room and collapsing into bed.


	16. Chapter 16 - Strategy

"Ya know…" Laxus groans with a glare directed at his oldest friend, "on the list of things you should have told me, the fact that she was considering Natsu as her Sire should have been pretty high on the damned list Freed." He flops back in one of the big armchairs in his suite; surveying the damage left behind by the well-meaning idiot.

"Good heavens…" Freed says, surveying the damage himself as he comes fully into the room. He attempts to shut the door behind him, which is impossible with the frame shattered the way it is. He ends up balancing it precariously to block the view. "Is this mess his fault? What in the world happened?"

"The little runt apparently takes offense to my treatment of Gina," Laxus laughs at the irony. "It's kinda sick, ya know. If he knew the truth, he'd probably be doing the same damn thing. Why the hell didn't you tell me that her contract with Makarov was to check him out?"

"Well, excuse me," Freed huffs, "but I was trying to get you the information that was most critical, and it seemed like the fact that she was dying, and the information I had on how to fight the effects, were more important. Was I wrong?"

"No," Laxus sneers, "but a little 'watch out for flame-for-brains' would have been helpful."

"Perhaps if you hadn't made such a big show of your relationship with her downstairs, he would have been less crazed?" Freed suggests with a sigh.

"The display was necessary," Laxus argues. "Gajeel was already on edge as soon as he realized I was pinning her down. I had to get her to agree to meet with me, but both of those knuckle-heads could _hear_ me convince her to go quietly; so I figured our history would be the only thing likely to get metal-head to back off. I honestly didn't expect it to set Natsu off. He usually grumbles, but stays out of stuff that's not dangerous. I've never seen him go nuclear like that over anyone but Lucy."

"Yes, but I don't think Natsu's responses to even Lucy are a good gauge in comparison to Gina," Freed admits, surprising Laxus further.

"What the hell are you saying?" Laxus demands, still trying to understand Gina's rash behavior.

"It has become apparent to everyone recently that he is quite taken with Gina," Freed explains, sitting down stiffly in the opposite armchair. "He hasn't been himself for weeks. He is driven to distraction whether she is nearby or not, and even his most innocent advances are only met with hostility from her for the most part. It's honestly been rather painful to watch."

Laxus places his elbows on his knees, and rests his chin on his fists in thought. It is no true surprise that Natsu has a thing for Gina. The woman is gorgeous, and the real kind of woman that gets under any man's skin. It had taken Laxus months to rid himself of his constant desire for her company. He wouldn't have a problem with it now, but there is no way he would just sit back and watch her die when he can do something about it. But Gina had played it off like Natsu himself wasn't even a factor.

 _This makes no sense at all,_ Laxus thinks, scratching his head. _Gina didn't act like she dislikes him…_ In fact, she had even mentioned feeling Natsu's affection for her when she'd apparently melted down in public - something the Gina he'd always known would never allow. _What the hell was it she said?_

" _ **I'm not choosing him."**_ **she had said, and he'd simply accepted it. Then later, "How could I ever actually love someone, and doom them to a fate like that?"**

"Son of a bitch," Laxus groans, burying his face in his hands.

He can see her in his mind's eye again, blocking Natsu's body from his blow. She'd scared the life out of him. He didn't generally hold back when teaching Natsu a lesson. It took a hell of a lot to put the dragon slayer in his place. But Gina could have died from a blow like that with how weak she had already become. The Gina he knew would always object to a squabble like that one, but would never place herself in the line of fire unless she truly feared for their life. She had to have known his blow was not intended to kill… but her instinct had been to shield. As he'd stepped back in surprise, he'd noted that her entire body was trembling.

"What is it?" Freed asks.

"I've got a real problem," Laxus retorts, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. "That's what. I'm gonna have to speak to the old man, and quick."

"Why? Do you honestly think he's going to take her in again?"

"If he doesn't," Laxus sighs, "Fairy Tail may as well be killing her ourselves."

"You can't be serious…" Freed huffs. "We've been fighting her every step of the way. If Natsu hadn't intervened, you could have..."

"Messed things up even worse," Laxus insists, cutting him off, "Yeah, thanks for the reminder. Look. Gina said she's not choosing Natsu. The upside is, she's only half lying."

"Lying?" Freed chokes in surprise. "What makes you think she is lying?"

"I'm sure she doesn't see it as lying," Laxus admits, "Although, her head's so messed up right now that it's hard to tell. But trust me, Gina stepped in my line of fire tonight to shield him. She said she's not choosing him, but she would never meet my eyes when she did. She also said that she would be _dooming_ anyone she did choose to a life of suffering, because they would have to watch everyone they love die - like she has to. She's not choosing Natsu, _AND_ choosing to die at the same time?"

"Good heavens…" Freed breathes. "You think her choice to die means she has chosen him, and just won't accept it?"

"Seems that way," Laxus hates to admit. "What kind of promises did you morons make her?"

"Makarov's contract agreed not to expose her true form to anyone within the guild or without," Freed explains with a sigh. "It made no mention of her _illness_ because no one knew she was ill at all, but Makarov had claimed an illness as part of her cover and is exploiting that now. During the trip here, she only agreed to meet with you if I would promise - on behalf of the entire Thunder Legion - not to tell Natsu or the others in Fairy Tail about her true form or the nature of her illness. I told her I could not make any promises on your behalf. Honestly, I don't understand why she's so opposed to Natsu knowing the truth."

"It's because it frightens her," Laxus explains. "Gina likes to be in control, and with a guy like Natsu that's next to impossible. The only way to control him is to limit what he knows. She did the same thing to me. She was able to walk away because I had no clue what she was, or what she was looking for. Gina's spent her whole life hiding, and will probably have to hide for the rest of it. It's how her species survive."

"If your suspicions are correct, and she favors Natsu," Freed muses. "She will have to tell him eventually anyway."

"Yeah, but it's better for her to come to that decision on her own," Laxus laughs wearily. "Trust me. Otherwise we'll have to drag her pretty little ass kicking and screaming, and she'll hold out forever simply to spite us."

"So what do you intend to do? She seems dangerously close to death already."

"I don't know," Laxus admits with a heavy sigh, standing and shrugging on his big purple coat. "I've given her as much of a boost as I could before the idiot stormed in here, but I have no idea how much benefit it will give her or for how long. I need to talk to the old man."

* * *

Gina stares at the mirror in her bathroom with red-rimmed eyes. _What the hell have I done?..._ her mind whispers in agony as her heart wages war against itself.

She crawls into the tub and turns on the ice cold water, letting herself transform back into her natural state. The flames of her body begin to heat the ceramic instantly, and the ice water combats the effect. Eventually her flames will win out, and she'll have to transform back for safety. However, she's in no state right now to try and sleep out the night without risk. This brief time in her own skin should reduce that risk.

In some ways, she's stronger than she's been in weeks. She's gained stamina from Gavin, Natsu, and Laxus in significant measure, and gleaned a significant boost from Lucy, Gray, Freed and the others as well.

 _It's so unfair!_ she mentally wails. _Why can't they just leave me alone?! And dammit… now I've made it worse!_

She'd kissed him. She'd kissed Natsu! Of all the stupid things she could do… that was highest on the list, just beneath agreeing to dinner with Laxus. Laxus had been exactly what she'd expected; charming, challenging and pushy. She shouldn't have let him get her into such a compromising position, but she had wanted to speak with him after so much time had passed. She'd hated feeling his affection and knowing she was only going to hurt him again.

Then Natsu burst in - seemingly out of nowhere - and challenged the big lightning dragon slayer. _What a fool!_ Laxus could have really hurt him. She could see how much lightning he was letting flow. It may not have killed Natsu, but it would have hurt him, and the very thought made her sick. _They are guild mates! They shouldn't be pitted against one another over something so stupid._

 _And then I kissed him! You idiot! What the hell is wrong with ME?!_

She tries desperately to think of something less intelligent that she could have done - and comes up empty. She had been so thankful to him for intervening, but also felt so terrible not knowing how he would feel to know why Laxus had been trying so hard. _Would he be angry, like Makarov? Would he respond like Freed and Laxus, trying to force her to live? Would he hate her for her choice?_

His own words had done her in.

" _ **I know you're gonna hate me for this, Gina… but stay behind me!"**_

He had thrown himself between her and Laxus to protect her, fully expecting her to lash out at him for his actions. So many of her actions towards him appear cruel. She fully deserves nothing but scorn from him, but he continues to show her kindness. It breaks her heart as surely as Gavin's death.

When he dropped her off at her door she had been at a loss. Everything seemed wrong. The whole situation had spun completely out of control. It sounded like he was trying to apologize, and she couldn't stand that idea so she'd hugged him. His surprise was even more frustrating, and she'd kissed him instead of simply saying thank you. She'd felt his fire magic respond instantly, and knew he would have to have been dead not to feel it himself.

When she stepped back, his eyes were wide and she'd panicked. She'd darted inside her hotel room and waited forever to hear him leave. Then she'd burst into tears and sobbed like a small child.

 _What the hell am I going to do now?!_ she internally wails.

Her own body is punishing her now for failing to do anything more than give him such a simple peck. It's starving, and demanding more. The draw from Laxus had been fairly potent already, and her deprived magic system had been greedy. Trying to fight the effect was like trying to fight through the haze of a heady drug. Then when Natsu intervened, his affection was strengthened by his rage. Her magic had lent itself to him instantly, recognizing a compatible fire mage. When she'd kissed him, it was as if her entire being responded - demanding she seduce the young wizard for more power. She'd ripped herself away quickly, before the troublesome instinct could make her do something even more foolish.

 _Natsu deserves to live a normal, happy life._ She sniffs, rubbing at the irritated flames around her eyes. _He loves this family. He won't have to watch them all fall away without him. He'll grow old beside them, and live his life to the fullest. I won't interfere in that._

She hates that everyone seems to see him as some quick way to solve her problems. They are so willing to put him forward as a solution, without any concern over how it could hurt him. She knows better. Any sexual connection she could make with him would take away his ability to choose life as a Nymph Sire or life free. Any non-sexual advance she could make could prove to be even worse by involving his heart. There is no question that he cares for her. Encouraging him will only lead to pain in the short-term when she chooses to spare him the long-term anguish he would face as a Nymph Sire.

 _If he knew what I was…_ she groans, _he might sacrifice his own happiness to save me. There's no way to let him choose on his own._

Gina begins to feel the ceramic of the tub start to creak in protest of the heat from her body. She transforms back into her human form with a sigh, and shuts off the water.

 _His lips were softer than I expected…_

* * *

"You okay man?" Gajeel's gravelly voice catches Natsu's attention, and he belatedly realizes the iron dragon slayer is shaking his shoulder with a concerned look on his face.

"Uh, yeah," he mumbles, shaking his head to clear it. "Why?"

"You look like hell…" Gray chimes in helpfully as he finishes packing his bags. "What happened after you stormed out'a here like a lunatic last night, anyway?"

"Oh, uh… nothing really," he lies, knowing he sucks at it.

"Right," Gajeel laughs. "I don't believe that for one minute."

"Believe what you want, rivet-face," Natsu retorts, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm gonna go pay."

Natsu leaves them behind, but Happy follows him to the front desk. He didn't get a wink of real sleep last night. Every time he shut his eyes, all he could see was Gina. His mind seemed determined to endlessly replay the brief memory of what it felt like when she kissed him. Then his anger would flare back to life as he remembered how she looked trapped on Laxus's lap. Happy remains silent as Natsu pays for the room, the damages to his room, the damages to Laxus' room, and a few extra nights rent to give them time to complete repairs.

"As always," the manager says with a forced smile. "It's a pleasure to serve you, Mr. Dragneel."

"Sure thing, buddy," he quips with a smile. _Man, they hate my guts. Haha._

"Soooooo…" Happy finally chimes in. "Why are you paying for damages to Laxus' room?"

"Uh… I sorta destroyed his door," Natsu admits. "I don't think I broke anything else though."

"Was Gina in there with him?" Happy asks in a small voice with his wings drooping.

"Yeah," Natsu says, rubbing the back of his head. "But don't worry little guy. She's okay."

"What…" Happy begins to ask, but his eyes go wide and Natsu turns around to see Laxus standing behind him.

"We need to talk," Laxus says simply. "Before Gina comes downstairs."

"Okay by me," Natsu shrugs.

They both walk over to the big plush armchairs in one of the hotel's side lobby areas and take seats facing one another. Happy flies along and stands on the small coffee table next to Natsu.

"I'll give you this kid," Laxus drawls. "You've got a hell of a lot of nerve to pull a stunt like that."

"You're one to talk," Natsu retorts, grinding his back teeth. "I swear Laxus, you've pulled some pretty dumb shit before, but I _never_ thought you'd stoop low enough to force yourself on a woman."

"What?!" Happy squeals in shock.

"You're assuming a lot, moron," Laxus fires back in an angry whisper. "I would never _force myself_ on Gina. I hate to break it to you, kid, but there's a whole lot involved with seducing a woman that you just don't seem to get yet."

"She was cryin'!" Natsu screeches back in a whisper. "Maybe you should think about comforting her before just getting what you want!"

"You don't even… ugh!" Laxus clenches his fists and then visibly attempts to calm himself. "Look. Gina and I were lovers for a long time, and she's in really big trouble. Don't expect me to just sit back and do nothing."

"Yeah," Natsu replies, feeling his anger fade as his nausea rises up in his stomach again. "I know she's sick. We all do. Do you know what's wrong with her?"

"What's wrong with her isn't what's important," Laxus deflects, and Natsu narrows his eyes at the big lightning mage.

"The hell it isn't," Natsu tries not to shout. "If you know what's wrong with her, you'd better tell me right now!"

"If Gina wanted you to know, she would tell you," Laxus says with a vein in his jaw bulging. "But dammit Natsu I'm trying to tell you what to _do_ before she gets down here, so just shut up for a second."

"Huh?" Natsu says, settling back into his chair and watching closely, practically holding his breath.

"Gina's problem isn't just that she's sick," Laxus explains, meeting his eyes. "It's that she's stopped fighting it. She doesn't care if she dies."

"No way!" Happy shouts, hovering in the air in distress. "I don't believe you!"

Natsu looks into Laxus's eyes and sees honesty, and it makes him even sicker. He can feel his hands begin to tremble. "What are you sayin'? What the hell would make her feel that way?"

"I'm not gonna act like it's anything short of crazy," Laxus says, shaking his head, "but it's true. Gina isn't going to live because Gina doesn't _want_ to live."

"Well screw that!" Natsu shouts. "I'm gonna…"

"Shut. Up!" Laxus barks, silencing Natsu. "You're not gonna say a word to her about it, or you'll blow the whole thing."

"What?!" Natsu chokes. "Why the hell not?"

"Aye?" Happy echos.

"Because if Gina finds out that _any_ of you know how she feels, you won't be able to stop her," Laxus whispers. "You'll lose track of her one day, and you won't find her again until it's too late. She'll be gone for good. Trust me."

Suddenly, the image of Gina in Laxus's lap flashes back through Natsu's mind again. He sees the tears in her eyes and the big lightning dragon slayer trying to seduce her. His breath catches in his throat. "Last night," he whispers through a suddenly hoarse voice, "You were trying to convince her, weren't you? Oh man. Were you trying to…?"

He doesn't even know how to finish his question. _Can you convince a woman to stay with you that way? To live a little bit longer?_

"Yeah, dumbass," Laxus scoffs. "I'm not the big bad guy you wanted me to be, huh?"

"She still said no," Natsu says angrily, trying to shake off his sudden fear for Gina. "You should have let her go then and there. I understand you wanting to make her snap out of it, but you have no right to convince her _that_ way."

"I'm not gonna argue this with you, kid," Laxus waves off his point. "But I have a plan."

"What plan?"

"I spoke with the old man this morning," Laxus explains. "I need you to stall Gina for a day. Get her to stay here in town, and give him time to get here. I think if I can get them in the same room, we can convince Gina to stay at Fairy Tail."

"And then what?" Natsu asks, not understanding how that will help save Gina, but liking the idea of getting her to stay.

"Then I need _you_ to give her your best shot," Laxus says, sitting back and folding his arms across his chest. "Think you can do that?"

"I don't get it," Natsu admits, and then watches Laxus roll his eyes.

"Look, I know subtlety isn't your strong suit kid," Laxus sighs. "But you're gonna have to try extra hard on this one. If Gina suspects that you know she isn't fighting anymore, she's gonna disappear faster than you can blink. But if you can convince her to live… in whatever way works for you - I don't really want to know - then just maybe she'll pull through. But it's not as simple as giving her some speech like you did to Gray when he tried to use Iced Shell, or to Erza when she tried to be all heroic at the Tower of Heaven. You've got to make her _want_ to live."

Natsu suddenly feels like the room is too warm, and can't meet Laxus's eyes. If the big jerk is implying what it feels like he's implying, it makes him crazy uncomfortable. He would never seduce Gina as a way to manipulate her, but he would be lying if he said the idea of seducing her for any other reason wasn't appealing. It's also mildly terrifying. He's never seduced anyone before.

"Why the hell are you telling _me_ this?" he finally asks. "Gina practically hates me."

"Natsu…" Laxus sighs. "I've known that woman for a long time, and I've known you for even longer. All I'm gonna say is, I have _never_ seen her risk her own life for someone she hated. Besides, even if she did, I'd still talk to you. You have an ability to make people think about life in ways they don't believe in anymore. You restore their hope in ideals like love, friendship and family. Right now, she needs that bad. I think you have a genuine chance of convincing her, or I wouldn't even be having this conversation. Just be yourself, man. Show her how important she is to you every moment that you get the chance."

"And you expect me to keep this secret from Gray and the others?" he asks, feeling the task to be impossible.

"You don't have a choice, or she'll bolt again."

* * *

" **What the hell are ya doin' sweetheart?" Gray's voice croons low in her ear.**

 **Gina looks into his face. She's seated on his lap, and his ice magic is making her unbearably cold. Despite the care she can feel radiating from him, she begins to shiver.**

" **Huh?" she asks.**

" **Don't you see what you're doin' to him?" Gray asks, turning her face towards where Natsu is standing.**

 **The dragon slayer is standing in the shadows with his shoulders hunched. He's watching her with somber eyes. She wonders if he is upset because she is sitting on Gray's lap. She turns to ask him, but Laxus is now seated beneath her instead.**

" **He thinks you're dying," Laxus criticises her.**

" **I am dying," she argues.**

" **No, you're not," he counters.**

" **I'm not having this argument again," she says, getting defensive.**

" **You really think you're sparing him?" Laxus sneers. "What a joke."**

" **You think I like this?" she shouts. "You think this is what I want?! Natsu will be forced to watch all of them die!"**

 **She moves to push herself off of his lap, but her hands impact something hard and invisible just inches in front of her. Confused, she begins feeling along it, and suddenly realizes she is now lying on her back in a small glass box with Laxus standing and looking down at her.**

" **What's going on?" she asks in panic. She begins beating on the glass. "Laxus, what's…"**

 **Natsu appears beside the lightning dragon slayer. He stares down at her in despair.**

" **I can't believe we didn't save her," Natsu mumbles.**

" **You couldn't have known kid," Laxus sighs.**

 **As a single tear falls from Natsu's eye his expression suddenly morphs into rage. "But you did…" he seethes. "You bastard! You knew, and you didn't tell me how to save her!"**

" **Natsu no!" Gina screams, beating helplessly against the unyielding box.**

" **I'll kill you!" Natsu screams, bursting into flames and launching himself at Laxus.**

 **Gina can feel the cold beginning to sink into her bones again. "Damnit!" She struggles to free herself as the box seems to shrink around her, getting tighter and tighter. The cold is making her shiver again. "Why am I in this box?!" she screams in frustration, "Why is it freezing?!"**

 **Suddenly she feels a pair of lips at her ear whisper in Gray's voice, "Death is cold."**

Gina wakes up with a scream, with her arms flying out to her sides in panic. They collide with something cold and solid and she screams again. Her whole body is shaking, and the cold is still touching her body everywhere. It takes her a moment to realize she is lying in the bathtub. _I must have fallen asleep in here…_

Ming jumps up on the side of the tub, chittering and inspecting her for damage.

"I'm okay," she tries to assure him with a trembling voice. "I'm sorry. I… I just had a bad dream. I can't believe I fell asleep in here."

He waves his little arms about, scolding her once again.

"I know!" she shouts. "I'm a mess! Okay?! I know!"

Suddenly Ming gets very quiet. He runs up onto her chest and takes her face in his paws. He points his nose down the hallway, pleading with her. She sighs, but doesn't answer. Ming then runs back out of the tub and onto the counter. He rummages around in her bag until he pops out with one of her bright red lipsticks.

He chitters at her angrily as he climbs back into the tub and onto her body. He crawls right up onto her nymph mark, which lies in a circle around her navel. It looks like a tribal tattoo of sorts, but only a nymph would recognize its purpose. It identifies her Origin Sire, as the mark does for every nymph. In the ancient written language of her people - never used in practice, but kept alive by the marks they are each born with - it spells out the name of her father, AXIS ASTEROPE.

Ming uncaps the lipstick and points it at her angrily. Then he points it down the hallway again. She knows he wants her to go back to the members of Fairy Tail. She again doesn't answer him. Then Ming begins drawing on her belly with the lipstick.

"What are you doing?" she asks.

He makes dozens of tiny little strokes against her belly, blocking her view with his furry little body. Finally, as he steps aside she looks at his drawing and gasps.

"Why you little!" She grabs for him, but he leaps out of the way and all the way back up onto the bathroom counter scolding her again.

Ming has drawn-in a Queen's mark on her belly. It is a larger ring of script that would appear around the smaller Sire mark around her navel if she were a mated queen. Ming has sloppily scribbled in the name NATSU DRAGNEEL in the ancient language.

"I'm not sleeping with Natsu!" she screeches. "You can't force me!"

Ming folds his little arms and taps his foot impatiently.

"Look… I went to go see Laxus yesterday, okay?" she says, trying to bargain with him and calm down.

He tilts his head to the side, obviously trying to decide whether to believe her.

"It's true," she presses. "I didn't sleep with him, but I _am_ feeling stronger today, okay? I even saw Natsu too. He brought me home."

Ming claps his little hands, and then runs up her front again and kisses the end of her nose.

"Now I have to take a shower all over again," she gripes at him. "Thanks."


	17. Chapter 17 - Picnic

Gina walks down the stairs of the hotel slowly, dreading the inevitable confrontation from the Fairy Tail wizards who she knows are waiting for her. If she'd been smart, she would have awoken early or simply left last night. She would have been tempted to do so, if she hadn't been such an emotional mess and an unstable magic risk. As she approaches the bottom of the final flight of stairs, she can see Gajeel Redfox standing there and staring up at her with Panther Lily at his side.

"Good morning, Gajeel," she says, attempting to be courteous.

"You say that… but I don't think you mean it," he says, watching her like a small bug he's considering squashing.

"I'm not a morning person," she gripes in response.

"Yeah, well, I've got a bone to pick with you," he says, cutting to the chase.

"Excuse me?" she scoffs. "Doesn't everyone? Isn't that why I'm not allowed to leave without consulting all of you?"

"Well, my issue has to do with what Laxus was threatening you with yesterday," he says with a cheshire cat grin, "But if you'd like to explain it to everyone, then sure."

Gina can feel herself pale. "No, no. Just…" she sighs, "say what you have to say."

"I hope you realize that both Natsu and I know what he said yesterday," he says, straightening his spine to stand a little taller. "In case no one told you, we have an increased sense of hearing - not just smell. More importantly, we know that he was threatening to tell us something you didn't want us knowin'. That doesn't sit well with me, and you may have noticed last night that Salamander is a little more than angry about it."

Salamander is a commonly used nickname for Natsu both inside and outside of the guild. Gina knew about the dragon slayer hearing, but hadn't realized they would have heard Laxus's threat. Now she is unsure of how to manage the situation. _I wonder if that is why Natsu intervened..._

"What do you want from me?" she asks.

"Obviously, I wanna know what's so bad that you would cave to Laxus's demands," he sneers.

"And obviously, you must know that I'm not going to tell you," she retorts.

"Are you a threat to Fairy Tail?" he demands.

"Of course not!" she objects. "Wouldn't Laxus tell you if I was?"

Gajeels 'humphs' under his breath, "That's still debatable in my book, but fine. Yesterday, you said Laxus wasn't related to you at all, and based on the showy display he didn't even know he should act like it. I'm gonna wager that Makarov is covering for you, somehow, am I right?"

Gina just stares him down without answering.

"I'm gonna take that as a yes," he snickers. "Is Makarov's story about you being sick untrue then too?"

"Do you realize that this is the exact reason I cannot stay, Gajeel?" she replies instead. "I _am_ dying, but thank you for helping me understand that staying is a choice I don't really have."

She begins to walk away. Gajeel responds by shooting his arm out like a solid bar of iron and blocking her path.

"I'm not done yet," he argues.

"Well I am," she sighs.

"Gajeel, Panther Lily…" Erza's deep, proud voice cuts in from beside them. "Let her pass. We all have questions for her."

Gajeel withdraws his arm, and Gina heads towards Erza. As she passes by, Gajeel whispers in her ear, "I hope you look Salamander in the eye as you walk away."

Gina is surprised by the malice in his voice. He obviously believes she is already hurting Natsu. She walks into the foyer of the hotel, and everyone is standing in a large group. Gray, Lucy, and Levy are huddled and talking quietly. Wendy is sitting with Carla on the small loveseat. Freed and Laxus are notably absent, and she wonders if she can get away with not speaking to them. Natsu is sitting strangely still, with Happy hovering over his shoulder with a somber expression. Gina is just about to address them when the hotel's staff come up beside her and butt in.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he begins, "the hotel very much appreciates your stay, but would like to request that you move your conversation outside of the hotel. With all due respect, and no ill intention, a concern has arisen over the potential for property damage, and we appreciate your cooperation."

"Awww, come on man," Gray objects.

"It's alright Gray," Erza counters. "They have made their request respectfully. We can talk to Gina elsewhere."

"Sure," Gina agrees, smiling at the bold man.

She clutches her small travel bag a little tighter. As everyone turns to gather their things, she quickly slips to the side and out the door. She is about to bolt when she feels a hand close around her wrist. Her magic flares at the touch, and she knows it is Natsu without turning to look. "Let me go, Natsu."

"No way," he argues.

Then it is too late. The rest of the crew begins to file its way out the doors, and Erza is leading the pack. Natsu drops her hand quickly.

"Hey Erza," he shouts. "I was just gonna talk to Gina about where we should go talk. What do you think about heading to the park up the road for a fun day out?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Erza replies.

"Lucy and I could go get some picnic supplies!" Levy chimes in with excitement.

"Oooh!" Wendy adds, "Carla, Happy and I could go find some nice picnic blankets to use!"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Gina cuts in. "I'm sorry, but I need to continue on, and I shouldn't delay."

"Oh come on," Gray complains. "Why the rush? You agreed to talk to us. You don't think we're gonna let you get by with a quick goodbye do you?"

"It's settled then," Erza replies instead, not even giving her the option to respond. "Gajeel and Natsu should escort Gina to the park and pick a location. Gray, you and I will help Lucy and Levy with the food. We'll all meet at the park in an hour."

They all scramble off as Gina stomps her foot in frustration. "I didn't agree to that," she finally spits, starting to walk away.

"Gajeel, I can't grab her again!" she hears Natsu shout.

Gina squeals as she is suddenly lifted into the air by a pair of steel-like arms, and falls against an equally firm chest.

"Where to?" Gajeel asks.

"Thanks man," Natsu sighs.

"This is kidnapping!" Gina objects.

"No, it's practical," Gajeel argues, following Natsu towards the park.

* * *

"I'm glad Natsu kept a close eye on Gina," Gray says to Lucy with a sigh, looking through the shelves for bread.

"Yeah, me too," Lucy replies softly. "What are we gonna do, Gray?"

Erza and Levy are surveying the produce department.

"I don't know," he admits. "I doubt she's gonna tell us why she's so sick, and it definitely doesn't seem like Gramps threw her out."

Gray catches sight of a tear as it escapes from Lucy's eye.

"Awwww, come on. Don't cry," he begs.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me," Lucy whines, placing a bread loaf in her basket.

"What was I supposed to do?" he objects. "She was gonna go off and die somewhere. It may have taken us even longer to find her."

"I know, I just hate it," she sniffs. She pulls a copy of the photo she'd taken, of Gina and Natsu aboard the train, out of her pocket. She'd had it laminated for blackmail material weeks ago. "They were so cute... What are we gonna do if we can't save her?"

"We're gonna find a way," he insists, pulling Lucy tightly against his body. "I already suspected that Natsu liked her before you took that photo, and he's not really leaving any question about it now. Remember, we're in the Fairy Tail guild, so there's nothin' we can't do. And no matter what… if Natsu cares about Gina half as much as I care about you… he'll die before he gives up."

Gray leans in and kisses his beautiful girlfriend. Her mouth is sweet and hot as always, and he loves feeling her melt against him. She wraps her arms around his neck to kiss him deeply, and his brain registers for a brief second that he's lost his shirt somewhere.

"Ahem…" he hears Levy's voice.

Lucy rips away from him embarrassed, and Erza and Levy are staring at them with amused expressions.

"I'm pretty sure this shop has a 'no shirt, no shoes, no service' policy," Levy giggles with a smile.

* * *

Natsu watches Gina in silence for a moment, completely unsure of how to proceed. She's sitting in Gajeel's lap, and he has her held in place securely, but gently. She is glaring daggers at both of them. He hates restraining her this way, but he saw just how true Laxus's words from this morning were. She was determined to slip out from under their noses. He had expected Ming to defend her, but the ferret instead just went along quietly. Ming is now sitting in the grass beside them and grooming his fur.

"Gina," Natsu pleads, wishing he didn't have to do this in front of the big iron dragon slayer. "I want to talk to you with just… me and you."

"That's not a good idea, Salamander," Gajeel immediately argues.

"Would you just shut up?!" he shouts at Gajeel, already upset. "Gina please. It's about last night. About when you…"

"I'll talk," she cuts him off. "If you call off your goon."

"Fine!" Gajeel shouts back. "Look, this should hold ya." Gajeel reaches out and grabs her hand, making an iron fetter that clamps around her wrist. He then connects it to Natsu's wrist after a few links of chain. "Now she's your problem." He stands up and walks away briskly.

Gina lies back in the grass, and Natsu tries to sit beside her without touching her. The thought that his touch may hurt her still makes him feel sick.

"You were saying?" Gina asks with a sigh, not looking him in the eye.

Natsu blushes. He remembers Gina kissing him again. He decides to back up. "First… why did you lie to me?"

"When?" Gina asks, looking genuinely confused.

"The day we went fishing," he explains. "I asked you if you were dying, and you said no."

"Oh that," Gina says, throwing an arm over her face. "Look, Natsu, I know this is not going to make sense, but I didn't lie to you. I just didn't know yet that I was as sick as I am. I realize now that I was wrong. I am dying, and I'm sorry."

Natsu suddenly feels like he's gonna puke, which is a weird experience on solid ground. His mind is spinning all over again. He just can't believe she's dying, and Laxus's claim that she isn't fighting whatever stupid illness she has is making him crazy.

"Did you already know I was hurting you?" he asks, swallowing hard.

"Who told you that?" Gina asks instead, going very still.

"Gray said you're using his ice make magic to bring down your temperature," he says, getting angry again. "He said his magic helps your fever, and mine makes it worse. Why didn't you tell me I was hurting you? God damnit! If you'd just told me it hurt, you wouldn't have had to push me away all the time. Do you honestly think I'd hurt you on purpose?!"

Gina sits up suddenly and kneels very close to him. "Natsu, you're not hurting me, okay?" she says softly. "I didn't say that to you because it isn't true." She touches his face gently with her hand, and he feels his magic spark and tremble. He tries to pull away but she follows his movement. "This doesn't hurt me."

"But it does make your fever worse?" he asks, suddenly wondering if the spark he always feels from her touch is somehow related.

"Well… yes, but…"

"So I'm making you sick instead?!" he chokes out angrily.

"It's not that simple, Natsu," she argues with a frustrated expression. "I'm not going to die of a fever."

"Then what's killing you?" he pleads with her.

Gina drops her hand, and begins to lie back down. He moves to hover over her by putting one hand on the ground on either side of her; not wanting her to just shut him out.

"Why did you kiss me?" he finally asks, feeling himself blush again and hating it.

She glances back up at him, visibly surprised, but just lies there with her mouth hanging open. She's so pretty lying there in the grass that it makes Natsu's stomach hurt just looking at her. He doesn't want her to die. He wants her to trust him; to trust all of them.

"I don't know," she finally says, glancing away. "I'm sorry."

 _She's apologizing for kissing me?!_ his mind reels in confusion. Suddenly, he is aware of Gajeel standing very close beside them.

"Hate to intrude, Salamander," the dragon slayer mumbles quietly, clearing his throat, "but the rest of the group is headed this way. Thought you might like the warning."

He scrambles back away from Gina, embarrassed that Gajeel heard his question, and by how the scene must look.

"Can you take this off?" Gina sighs, sitting up and raising her arm.

Gajeel reabsorbs the iron fetters without a word. The rest of the group arrives within a moment or two, and they cheerily begin setting up for the picnic. Natsu takes a moment to step away and think while the others are keeping an eye on Gina.

"Are you okay, Natsu?" he hears Happy ask from behind him.

"Yeah, little buddy," Natsu tries to assure him. "I'm just, a little mixed up. That's all."

"Do you think we can get her to stay?" Happy asks.

"I don't know," he admits. "But I'm not givin' up."

"Do you think Laxus was telling the truth?" Happy asks in a small voice. "Do you think she really wants to die?"

"Maybe," Natsu mumbles. "She's been crazy depressed since that old guy passed away… and she's acting even weirder now."

"Maybe she's just hurting," the little cat offers. "Maybe she won't feel that way if she's had time to think about it some more. What did Laxus mean anyway? About you convincing her somehow? I didn't get it."

"Uhhh…" Natsu chokes slightly. "I'm not really sure buddy, but he seemed to think we could help. So why don't we keep that just between you and me, okay?" After all, he doubts Laxus realizes that any kind of seduction he even attempted would make Gina sick. He'll just have to figure out another way to snap her out of it.

"Aye." Happy agrees.

* * *

"About time, old man," Laxus smirks at his grandfather as the little master toddles into the hotel lobby. "I'm surprised it took you so long." In truth, Laxus was shocked that Makarov had already been on his way before Freed sent out the emergency call.

"Don't start with me young man," Makarov grumbles. "I've been on a train all night, and I'm in a sour mood. Now, where is the young fool?"

"Gina's off with the brats," Laxus explains. "I've asked Natsu to keep her pinned down to buy us some more time."

"It looks like they're settled down in the park nearby," Freed chimes in, approaching them from behind Makarov.

"What exactly did you tell him?" Makarov questions, rubbing his temples.

"Well I didn't tell him what she was if that's what you're asking, so stop worrying like an old woman," Laxus retorts, rolling his eyes.

"This is serious Laxus," Makarov complains. "I have a contract with that woman which specifically prohibits me, or any member of the guild with knowledge of Gina's real identity from informing anyone else - within the guild or without. If we botch this, it could reflect badly on our work, and we're in sore need of a good reputation right now. Even worse - they could demand a refund!"

"So why the hell did you agree to it in the first place?" Laxus says, throwing his arms in the air. "Seriously? I didn't think you were into arranged marriages. You don't have some bimbo lined out for me do ya?"

"Of course not!" Makarov says, getting red in the face. "I didn't think it would be anything more than an entertaining cover story, while I got to watch the brat squirm for a while. If she decided she liked him, great. I'd force her to admit what she was before trapping him into anything. If not, she would move on. I had no idea how ill her mind was before I agreed."

"Yeah, well that's probably not your fault," Laxus sighs. "I got to talk to her a little bit last night before your flame-brain barged in and threw a fit. I think her specific dose of crazy is recent."

"Yes," Makarov mumbles. "She told me about the death of her first lover."

"It's not just him," Laxus explains. "That would probably be bad enough by itself, but I know Gina pretty well and I think she'd keep pushing on. But she said something when we were arguing about her taking on a Sire - any Sire. She talked about watching people die and said 'How could I love someone and doom them to a fate like that?' I almost missed it until Freed was explaining how she's been treating Natsu - holding him at arms-length and bitching at him all the time. That's not like her, even at her grumpiest."

"What are you saying?" Makarov asks, quirking a brow.

"The poor girl has developed fairly terrible taste," Freed muses, "but I can't see a flaw in Laxus's theory. We believe she's falling for him, but won't accept it."

"Well, her small furry companion believes that Natsu is already falling for _her_ ," Makarov says with a smile and a sigh, "and I have to admit that I do as well. Although, I don't understand why she would decide to die if her interest in Natsu is real. I had not considered what that fate would truly be like for the boy."

"Yeah, well, I personally don't give a rat's ass," Laxus says, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "I just think we need to buy enough time to give her some distance from the pain. If she can remember the good in life, she may realize she's not dooming anyone. Natsu or not, you just need her to stick around. I decided to tell Natsu that there was a chance to save her. I told him that she wasn't fighting her illness because she'd lost the will to live."

"You what?" Freed chokes.

"That's a dangerous gamble," Makarov growls.

"Yeah, well, I'm not gonna be able to stick around and fix things myself am I?" Laxus challenges.

"You know I cannot make an exception," Makarov says, gritting his teeth. "Your behavior requires your banishment from the guild. I cannot make an exception simply because you are blood, and not for a contract either."

"I'm not asking you to," Laxus sighs. "I'm just pointing out that you need her to stick around AND live long enough. The kid is more than hung up on her already. Even at a distance, he may be able to keep her boosted if you can keep them close. Trust me. Natsu won't let her out of his sight now."

"Well," Makarov says with a cheeky grin, and holds up a crisp piece of paper. "I think I've got just what we need."

* * *

Gina shifts uncomfortably as she sets her paper plate down on the grass and scans the group of wizards again as they eat, chatter and squabble. Gajeel and Pantherlily sit on the opposite side of the group from her, talking quietly with Levy. Carla and Wendy are chatting with Erza, Gray and Lucy to her right. Natsu is lying next to her in the grass at a careful distance to her left, with Happy munching on a small fish beside him.

Natsu is trying to appear relaxed, but she's not buying it. He hasn't taken his eyes off her since he returned to the group. She isn't sure why he is suddenly so intense, but figures it is due to her prior attempts to flee. The mistake she'd made in kissing him yesterday doesn't seem to be helping her cause any either. Then when he'd hovered over her in the grass, like he sometimes did in her dreams, she'd almost been stupid enough to do it again. Fortunately, his question had broken through, and made her realize she was lapsing back into foolishness. She desperately needs to get a grip on herself, or Gajeel's obvious disappointment with her will be well deserved.

"Gina," Erza's voice in a serious but gentle tone draws her attention. "Now that we've all had a moment to fill our bellies, I think we should talk about your decision to leave Fairy Tail."

"You're all making this much more difficult than it needs to be," Gina sighs. "If you'd simply let me go, we could all be moving on by now."

"Speak for yourself," Gray spits back. "Maybe it makes you feel better, but you left us confused and angry. You ran. And you expect us to just sit back and wonder when you'll die and how?"

"Makarov had no right to tell you about that," Gina says, grinding her teeth.

"Why would you even want to _keep_ something like that from us?" Lucy fires back.

"Because of this!" Gina shouts, gesturing to the entire group of mages. She could feel their affection clearly through the air alone, and could plainly see the fear, anger and pain on their faces. "Don't you see what it's caused? All of you will treat me differently now! You'll poke and prod. You'll worry."

"We're going to worry either way, now," Levy argues. "Perhaps if you had left before we were aware it would be different, but none of us will be able to just sit back and know what is coming for you without feeling the impact of it."

"And don't go blaming Gramps," Gray adds, "because I would have told them myself the second I realized you were gone. If you would just tell us what's wrong, maybe we could help. There _could_ be a cure somewhere."

"This isn't some infection I ran into Gray," Gina argues in frustration, "I was born like this." Gina bites her tongue. She can't let them fluster her into giving herself away. "And it's private. I already explained that to you. I don't want _anyone_ knowing about it."

"Ahhhh…" she hears Gajeel's gravelly voice mutter. "So that's it…"

"No one should have to hide what they are to be accepted," Natsu says, meeting her eyes for the first time. "Gina, you seriously would not believe some of the shit we've seen over the years. You can tell us. You'll still be family."

Gina wants to scream. The sincerity in Natsu's eyes is painful. Every nymph hides what they are. To do otherwise is to invite death not only to themselves, but to their entire race.

"I appreciate that Natsu, but I don't want to. And I don't want to continuously be pressured," she begs. "Look… I know it's hard to realize someone you care about is dying. But I've accepted it, and what I _want_ is to die in peace."

"But that still doesn't explain why you left the guild," Levy chimes in.

"Or why Freed was helping you," Panther Lily adds.

"Or why Laxus is here…" Wendy ponders.

"Freed was a surprise to me too," Gina sighs. "But he knew about my past relationship with Laxus. When he learned I was dying, like you did, he got Laxus to meet us here. I think he hoped to stall you to give Laxus and I an opportunity to talk alone."

"Heh…" Gajeel chuckles loudly. "Didn't look like he wanted to _talk_ to me."

"You shut your mouth!" Natsu shouts at Gajeel.

"Awww, pipe down," Gajeel retorts, rolling his eyes.

"I have no way of knowing when I will die, or how quickly," Gina decides to ignore them and continue on. "You will all have to suffer as that happens. Makarov was right to say I shouldn't force that on you."

"That's bullshit!" Natsu shouts at her now, sitting up for the first time and practically vibrating with anger. "Do you think we're just gonna stand back and watch you die?! And even if it comes to that… do you think we wouldn't want you around just because we knew about it?! Trust me, when it comes to knowin' and not knowin'... not knowin' is worse!"

To Gina's surprise, Natsu storms off with Happy hot on his heels. Her chest hurts as he turns his back, and she tries to still the tremble in her hands from the sting of his anger.

"I think what Natsu is trying to say, Gina," Erza sighs, calling her attention back, "Is that most of us here at Fairy Tail consider each other family. We've all lost loved ones. Gray lost his parents to the demon Deliora. Lucy lost her mother when she was young, and then her father to time. I lost my friends Simon and Grandpa Rob in battles. Natsu lost his father - the fire dragon, Igneel - without warning or explanation. He was simply gone, and Natsu was alone. Wendy and Gajeel lost their dragons - Grandina and Metalicana - at the same time. And we have _all_ lost others along the way. Yes, if it is true that there is nothing that can save you, it will be very hard on all of us. But robbing us of your presence early is no less painful. If anything, it will give us the chance to spend time with you the way that we wish."

"I do not want to be a walking funeral," Gina replies, although Erza's argument makes sense. "And Makarov…"

"Was an old fool," the Master's voice rings clearly from behind her, making her jump in surprise, "who didn't understand his children's wishes."

"But, Master, I…" Gina starts.

"Rest assured young lady," Makarov says with a kind grin. "They have fully informed me of their malcontent." Laxus is standing on one side of Makarov with his arms folded beneath his big jacket, and Natsu stands mirroring him on the Master's opposite side. "I was wrong to ask you to spare them that pain," he continues, "and I would like to join them in asking you to come back to us."

"Do I really have a choice?" Gina genuinely wonders.

"Of course," Makarov laughs. "You are not a prisoner my dear."

"If you don't want to go back to Fairy Tail," Laxus volunteers, "then you can come with me instead. I'll be right behind you all the way."

Laxus's voice is kind and inviting, but Gina is no fool. He means to follow her, and she notices the way Natsu glares at the ground in response. Natsu has already threatened the same thing back at the hotel, and after last night she doubts Natsu would leave her alone with Laxus again.

"Please, Gina," Wendy's voice breaks into Gina's awareness sounding small and pained. "Please just come home with us."

Gina sighs, realizing there is no real way to escape any longer. "I do not want to be stuck at the guildhall being coddled or prodded."

"I expected no less!" Makarov laughs. "In fact, I came to personally invite you back, and send all of you out on a new job that just came in. An old friend of mine is requesting my personal recommendations for an S-class team to help him out with a local problem."

"All of us?" Gray asks, bewildered. "What kinda job is it?"

"See for yourself," Makarov says, handing the paper to Gina.

The job looks very complicated. A local steel mill in the town has been reporting missing workers for months. Always men. The men go missing from the work camps in the middle of the night, and only recently started reappearing. The ones who have been found have been asleep, and seem unharmed, but are nearly delirious from long-term exposure to extremely powerful charm spells.

Additionally, trappers in the area have reported sightings of Ice Golems - creatures which have not been seen in centuries. The mill workers have been asked if there is any connection, but none of them have recovered enough to provide additional information. The reward is impressive.

"Three million jewel!" Happy screams in excitement.

"Oh my gosh!" Lucy adds. "That's over 300,000 jewel a piece, even with all of us!"

"So, who's in?" Natsu asks, looking only at Gina.

Gina resists the urge to squirm. Makarov is the devil! She knows why he chose this job. It screams of possible nymph involvement. But if she is honest with herself… her involvement may be the only way to keep the nymphs from being harmed if that winds up being true.

"I'm in!" Lucy shouts.

"Me too," Gray says.

"Hmmm… a steel mill sounds pretty nice," Gajeel muses.

They all chime in their agreement one by one until only Gina remains.

"Alright," she concedes. "But no babying me."


	18. Chapter 18 - Atlantia

Levy stands at the entrance to the train car, looking in on her companions. Lucy, Gray, Erza, Wendy, Carla, and Happy are all gathered around the large dining table playing cards. Natsu is face-down on the floor by the side viewing bench; looking extremely ill. Panther Lily is seated next to Gajeel, who is sitting on the opposite bench. Gajeel is not as wiped out as Natsu, but he is slightly green in color and appears to be sweating bullets. Wendy stopped using Troia on them a couple of hours ago after it became ineffective. There is still 4 hours of train ride remaining before they arrive at their destination - a small coastal village named Atlantia.

"They look so miserable," Gina's smooth voice rings out from over Levy's shoulder. Levy had gotten up to check on Gina, after she had disappeared into the lavatory earlier.

"Yeah," Levy sighs. "The dragon slayers really seem to have it bad when it comes to public transportation."

"I had noticed that about Laxus," Gina admits with a giggle, "but he's pretty good at hiding it. Even better than Gajeel."

"So…" Levy dares, "You and Laxus…?"

"I have known him for a long time," Gina says with a smirk, "and yes, we were lovers once. That's all history now though. And no, I won't give away any of his dirty secrets."

Levy swallows hard and laughs nervously. "Of course not."

The idea of anyone being lovers with the lightning dragon slayer was incredibly intimidating. Gajeel was terrifyingly powerful and had even more of a solid build than Natsu's lean body type, but Laxus dwarfed them both in stature and girth. It took both of them working together to defeat Laxus in his attempt to overthrow the guild. Any woman who would tangle with power like that was intimidating in her own right.

"Ugh, I can't stand this," Gina spits suddenly. "Look, I think if we work together, we can put them out of their misery. But I'd need your help for the rest of the train ride."

"Really? How?" Levy asks.

"I can put them to sleep," Gina explains. "I've done it before, but it requires pretty constant contact because the spell is short-term in nature. You're not gonna get funny on me about holding Gajeel are you?"

"What?!" Levy squeaks in surprise.

"I'll put him to sleep before he even knows what hit him," Gina continues, "but I need you to hold him to keep an eye on him, and let me know the moment he begins to stir - so I can keep him under. Are you up for it?"

Levy feels like she is going to turn 100 shades of red, but the idea of getting to cuddle with Gajeel with a ready-made excuse feels heaven-sent.

"I guess so," she says with a smile. "It would be better to keep them in top condition for the job after all."

"My thoughts exactly," Gina agrees. "Now follow my lead."

Gina walks casually into the train car and up to Gajeel with Levy following close behind. The big lug looks at Gina with a cross expression, but is slow to speak through his increasingly obvious nausea.

"What is that look about?" he grumbles.

"Gajeel," Gina seems to almost whisper. "I'm sorry, but I have a confession to make."

"Now?" he gripes.

Panther Lily raises an eyebrow at Levy and she quickly puts a finger to her lips, asking him to go along with whatever Gina has planned.

"Yes," Gina whispers with a sad voice for some reason. "Could I sit with you?"

"Uh… sure," he says hesitantly, and Gina sits down close enough to him that she is pressing up against his side. She nudges in even further, and Levy feels a brief pang of jealousy as he responds by rolling his eyes and putting his arm across her shoulders. He leans in close to Gina's face with his sexy expression that he always intends to be intimidating. "Alright. What is it you feel the need to tell me now?"

Levy barely catches the Glint off Gina's token as she flips it in the air and catches it between her two front fingers. She trails it down the side of Gajeel's face, as he briefly looks uncomfortable, and she whispers, "I know you have motion sickness."

"Huh?" he slurs, blinking heavy eyelids, and within two heartbeats he slumps forward into Gina's arms completely unconscious.

"Whoa…" Levy mumbles. "He's… gone."

"What are you two up to?" Panther Lily demands in a whisper.

"Come on over here and sit on his other side," Gina says quietly to Levy.

"Please, Panther Lily," Levy pleads, "We're just trying to make him more comfortable."

Levy notes that Gray and Erza seem to now be watching them from the corner of their eyes even as they continue their card game. Levy sits down on the bench, and Gina shifts Gajeel's weight until he falls squarely in Levy's lap. Panther Lily gets an amused expression and stands back, deciding not to object further.

"Like this," Gina mumbles, focused on moving Gajeel's bulky body around. "It'll be easier with his head in the crook of your arm. Kinda like a baby."

Levy helps her drag his shoulders more fully into her own lap, as Gina struggles slightly to lift his feet and legs up unto the bench.

"Sorry about the weird intro," Gina says with a sly smile, "but if he saw it coming and fought me on it, I might not manage to put him under. It's a pretty weak spell."

"Oh," Levy swallows, trying not to appear jealous. "Right. That makes sense. What now?"

"Now I just need you to pay close attention to his breathing and his movements," Gina explains. "Holding him like that, you should notice right away when he starts to stir. As soon as you feel that, let me know. I'll grab your hand, and you have to touch his temple gently. It will put him back under."

"Wow, so you can use my arm like a conduit?" Levy asks, excited by the idea.

"Yeah, sort of," Gina giggles. "Now for this one…"

Gina slides off the bench and grabs a sickly-looking Natsu by the shoulders from off of the floor. She quickly gets his arms draped over her shoulders and down her back, and stands him up with her arms around his torso. He leans heavily on her, and Levy is afraid he might actually puke on Gina. In a flash, Gray steps over to intervene. He grabs Gina's arm up high.

"Gina I don't think that's a good idea," he says quietly, but his movement has focused everyone's attention on them.

"I didn't ask you, did I?" Gina says back, ignoring him and sitting down on the bench.

She continues moving to position Natsu in the same position on her lap that she put Gajeel into on Levy's. Levy suddenly remembers the concern Natsu and Gray have about physical contact with Natsu making Gina sick, or causing her pain. Gray moves to pull Natsu from her, but Gina gives him a glare that makes him back away slightly.

"Are _you_ going to put him to sleep Gray?" she suddenly seethes.

"Of course not," he replies frustrated. "But we're gonna be on this train for 4 more hours. You're not seriously gonna keep him under that long are you?"

"Why shouldn't I?" Gina scoffs. "They're both miserable, and they don't need to be. Wendy's been tiring herself out already, and you didn't object to _her_ helping while it still worked. I can help. _LET me help."_

"Gina," Erza cuts in with her diplomatic tone. "We're just concerned about whether Natsu is worsening your illness. We never… talked about that."

Gray stares her down and folds his arms over his chest in challenge. Gina touches Natsu's temple and Levy watches his face shift instantly from a nauseous haze into peaceful sleep. Gina shifts uncomfortably, pulling Natsu tighter against her before responding.

"Natsu doesn't _hurt_ me," Gina finally replies. "You should never have given him that idea. I told you that before."

"But you told Natsu it makes your temperature go up," Happy chimes in from the table with a sad voice.

"Yes, and contact with Gray makes it go back down," Gina sighs. "I'm not going to die of a fever Gray. If you're worried about me, check my temperature from time to time - like you've been doing for _weeks_ before this. If it worries you, then I will sit with you long enough to bring it back down."

"But that just leaves you bouncing back and forth between them like some human ping pong ball," Carla notes in a disapproving tone. "It can't be good for your magic system."

"You all swore not to baby me, and to let me really participate," Gina says with a sad sigh. "Did you mean a word of it?"

"Of course we did, Gina," Lucy replies from her seat at the table. "And if you say that touching Natsu doesn't hurt you - then I believe you. We're just trying to be careful, but you're right. You've helped Natsu this way before, and I don't see a problem with it."

"Fine," Gray agrees with a sigh. "But don't bitch at me when I check on ya."

After everyone has settled back into their seats, and resumed their card game, Levy dares to sneak a peek at Gajeel's handsome face. He looks so different in his sleep, it brings a smile to her face. She's never seen him this unguarded. She almost wishes she could trace the contours of his face and arms with her fingertips, but there are way too many eyes around. She settles for toying with his long black hair through her fingers resting behind his back, and studying the patterns of his breathing.

After a few minutes Levy is drawn from her thoughts by a soft groan coming from Natsu. She catches sight of him shifting in his sleep. Gina's attention is focused in the distance out the window, and she doesn't even look down at him. Gina simply lifts her arm slightly, and Natsu snuggles his face further into Gina's shoulder, sighing deeply as he wraps his arms around her waist and settles back into his sleep. Gina's arm instantly rests back down along his shoulder, and her fingers seem to weave into the dragon slayer's salmon colored locks almost absent-mindedly.

Levy looks away, suddenly feeling like she's seen something much too personal. The way Gina and Natsu flowed together in that instant felt more like watching long-time lovers than casual friends.

 _But Gina is the only one awake…_ Levy muses.

As she sneaks another peek back at the token wizard, she can see the faintest hint of moisture in the woman's eyes as she continues to stare out at the countryside. Her fingers run a constant rhythm through the fire mage's hair. She's not the least bit concerned about his closeness. It's so different than the way Levy has ever seen Gina treat Natsu that it's jarring. At the guildhall Natsu always seems frustrated by Gina, and she seems to force a constant distance between them.

Gajeel shifts as well, with only a slight grumble. She cuddles him in closer with a smile, running her hand down his arm briefly and assuring herself that he's settled in more comfortably. When she raises her eyes again, Gina is looking directly at her with a knowing smile. Levy feels her cheeks burn with embarrassment as Gina winks at her.

 _Wait a minute…_ Levy thinks, looking back down. _That's it, isn't it? Is Gina… crushing on NATSU?!_

* * *

They're only half an hour outside of Atlantia now, and Gina peeks around the train car. Most of the wizards and exceeds have fallen asleep in their various seats around the table after the sun set two hours ago. Gina has kept both dragon slayers asleep without much difficulty. She can feel a drain on her system, but it's nothing in comparison to what she would feel from battle. Levy is obviously enjoying her time with Gajeel - which was Gina's intention from the beginning. She finds it ridiculous that the two of them don't see the perfect match they make.

Erza is doing a similar visual scan of the car, and slowly makes her way over to sit beside Gina on the only small space left on her bench. Levy and Gina both look at her with the question in their eyes.

"The boys seem to be doing amazingly well," Erza comments softly. "I have to admit I never thought a train ride with two dragon slayers could be so… easy."

Gina can't help but smile. "Well, Levy being here helps. I'm not sure I could manage both by myself as easily."

"Yes, I would say this is a rare opportunity for you Levy," Erza teases unexpectedly.

Levy blushes and replies, "Well you know the big lug. He's too stubborn most of the time, but I'm glad it helps him."

"When are you going to be honest with him about your feelings?" Erza asks, surprising Gina further.

"Me?" Levy asks, looking slightly panicked. Gajeel decides at that moment to mumble something about 'smell… damn good…' and Levy nearly turns purple. "Come on Erza. You know Gajeel's not interested. Not in me."

"Actually I don't," Erza replies with a wicked grin. "It's not really any of my business, but I've noticed the way the two of you dance around each other."

"I'm convinced that he likes you," Gina decides to add with a smile. "I don't know what's holding you two back, but it's not a lack of interest."

"Why do you recognize it?" Levy suddenly says meeting her eyes intensely.

"Well… I've seen lots of relationships before Levy," Gina chuckles.

"I think what Levy meant to ask…" Erza chimes in again, "is whether you're looking into that particular mirror now?"

"You lost me…" Gina admits.

"I'm certainly not an expert," Erza replies. "But the two sides of this bench seem mirrored to me. I knew how Levy felt about Gajeel already, but seeing your feelings for Natsu is quite a surprise."

Gina stiffens. _Damn…_ her mind races. _I can't let them encourage him!_ "I think you're mistaken Erza," she says, narrowing her eyes at the powerful woman. "Natsu is my friend. I don't like to see him suffer. That's all."

"I disagree," Levy replies with a question in her eyes. "I can't explain it well, but it's in the way you move around him and respond to him. There's definitely something there."

"Well, that would be a terribly unwise and cruel thing to repeat to _him_ ," she tries to emphasize to both of them. "Everyone seemed to disapprove of my treatment of him when I held him at a distance. I finally decided that you were right, and such treatment was not fair. Natsu doesn't hold _anyone_ at that distance, but I _cannot_ allow him to believe I have feelings for him."

"Why not?" Erza asks. "Because it isn't true?"

"True or not," Gina sighs, looking down at his sleepy expression. "I will not be here long, Erza. It would be cruel to put his hopes in anything so fleeting. Natsu will only _ever_ be my friend. I will not _allow_ him to believe anything else. _That_ would be cruel."

"You said that you would not know if you had years left or days," Erza asks, closing her eyes. "How can you know that you won't miss out on a joy you could have had?"

"It's not worth the pain Erza," Gina pleads, "I am begging you not to encourage him that way. Please."

"Very well," Erza sighs. "I will respect your wishes."

"Me too," Levy says sadly. "But I'm still going to hope that you're wrong."

* * *

"Natsu," he hears Lucy's voice drift in through his consciousness, and feels someone shaking his shoulder. "Natsu wake up. The train is going to leave with you still on it."

Natsu opens his eyes and sees Lucy and Happy staring down at him with big smiles.

"I'm still on the train?" he asks, feeling sleepy but not the least bit queasy.

"Yeah," she says with a smile. "Now wake up and grab your bag."

Natsu sits up, attempting to rub the sleep from his eyes. He hears Levy's voice whispering, "Gajeel. Wake up you big lug…"

 _Gajeel's asleep too huh?_ he wonders, with a yawn. He glances towards her voice and freezes. The big iron dragon slayer is asleep in Levy's lap! _Wait a minute… the last time I was asleep on a train… Gina!_

Natsu bolts out of his seat, grabbing his bag and heading off the train, right past Lucy and Happy. The rest of their group is pretty easy to spot, milling around outside the train. He spots Gina among them easily. She is standing with her back up against Gray. His shirt is off, and the icy nudist has his arms wrapped around Gina's shoulders from behind with his chin resting on the top of her head. He looks like he's laughing and talking with Erza. Natsu feels a pang of jealousy combined with a terribly sick feeling that Gray _needs_ to be holding Gina that way.

"Everything okay Natsu?" Lucy's voice asks from behind his shoulder.

"She did it again, didn't she?" he spits angrily back.

"You mean put you to sleep?" Lucy replies nervously. "Uh, yeah. She kept you and Gajeel both asleep for the last few hours."

"Few hours?!" Natsu replies in shock. "She wasn't touching me that whole time was she?!"

"Well, uh…" Lucy chokes, looking guilty.

"Yeah, she did," Happy faithfully reports instead. "You were in her lap, and Gajeel was in Levy's. You kept trying to snuggle into her like a big pillow," he cackles mischievously.

"Are you guys out of your freakin' minds?!" Natsu rages back. "Why did you let her do that?"

"She wanted to help!" Lucy fires back, getting snippy with him. "We agreed not to treat her differently. She said that touching you doesn't hurt Natsu, and I believe her."

"It still makes her sick," he seethes. "If she wants to help so much… Why didn't you have her hold Gajeel, and put me in Levy's lap?"

"Oh, I…" Lucy mumbles, looking confused. "I didn't even think of that."

"Well next time, insist on it will ya?" he grumbles, looking back towards Gina and Gray. Sure enough, he can see in Gray's expression that he's concerned about her temperature. "What I want matters too..."

"Okay, I will," Lucy mumbles quietly. "I'm sorry, I…"

"It's fine," he gripes, grabbing up his bag. "Let's just get moving." As he passes by Gina, Gray, and the rest of the group he spits, "You ready, Ice Prince, or you just gonna stand around lookin' pretty?"

"What's your problem, lava-breath?" Gray gripes, raising an eyebrow. "We've been waiting for you."

"Yeah, well I'm movin'," Natsu retorts, "so keep up. Where we headed Erza?"

* * *

Gina was a little surprised at Natsu's completely sour mood when they first arrived in Atlantia. At first she chalked it up to him being impatient, but Gray and Lucy's glances and responses have now made it obvious that he is upset with them about _her_. She wants to scold him, and tell him that he should take out his anger on her, and leave them alone. After all, they had tried to stop her. But she knows that confronting the fire dragon slayer will only result in an explosion with more questions and demands, so she is biting her tongue.

Natsu is leading the group through town beside Erza, with Happy flying beside him. Gajeel, Levy, Panther Lily, Wendy and Carla are taking up the middle of the group. Gray - who finally put his jacket back on - is insisting on walking through town with his arm behind her back, and Lucy is walking on his other side. Gina was surprised at how strongly she could feel the sting of Gray's ice make magic after the train ride. She shouldn't have been using much of her own magic supply, even keeping both dragon slayers sedated, but she couldn't deny the effects.

Ming is curled up in her shoulder bag, but carefully keeping both Gina's magic hidden and her scent masked. It's not really raining, but instead the town seems filled with an incredibly damp mist that's rolled in from the sea. The moon is full, and casting an eerie glow through the mist on every surface.

"Wow…" Lucy mumbles, "the fog is so thick here…"

"Yeah," Gray agrees. "Talk about gloomy."

Gina's been to Atlantia before, but only briefly passed through. The facts in the job flyer still lead her to believe that nymphs are somehow at play - most likely water nymphs - but she isn't aware of a colony being based in this location. Communication between various nymph colonies is not great, but it does exist. If she's lucky, and there _is_ a nymph colony here, it would be beneficial to see if she could borrow their library to learn more about the end stages of a nymph fading by choice. Perhaps if she understood the process better, she could find a better way to manage it before the end.

She'd been disturbed on the train ride - frustrated by how distressed everyone was now about her _illness._ She hated to see them suffer anguish over it, but liked the idea of getting to stay with this new family until the end. If she could learn to mask her symptoms better, she might even be able to seem like she was improving, and slip away more quietly before the end…

"I don't like that look," Gray says, pinching her hip where his hand is resting on her opposite side. "What's up?"

"Just lost in thought," she admits. "I've been here before."

"Really?" Lucy asks. "Did you hear anything about these rumors back then?"

"No," she replies. "I was just passing through, and it seemed like a normal little port village to me."

Gray's hand on her hip slows her, and she realizes the rest of the group has paused to listen to her information.

"If you've been here before," Erza says with a smile, "do you have suggestions for where we should start?"

"Uh…" Gina swallows hard, digging deep in her memory. It wouldn't help to explain she hadn't been here in 50 years. "I think the steel mill is on the east edge of town, that way," she points. "I'm not sure whether hotels would be the same, but since it's the middle of the night, we should probably make that a priority. Who did the flyer say we were supposed to meet with?"

"The mayor," Levy replies, "and it gives the address for city hall."

"Right," Gina replies. "My only other suggestion would be the library. There's a fairly large one here. I would assume they keep records from the local papers. That may give us even better accounts of some of the earliest disappearances than the locals will."

"That's a great idea!" Levy beams. "With my wind reader glasses, we could cruise through that information in no time."

 _Wind reader glasses…_ Gina notes with surprise. _What luck! I can probably get Ming to snatch them to use in the nymph library - if they're willing to let me in._

"Alright everyone," Erza replies with a yawn. "We should split up to…"

"Hey Erza!" Happy shouts, interrupting her. "We found a place to stay!"

"That was quick…" Gray mumbles.

"Yeah, it's just around the corner," Natsu says, re-approaching the group at a jog. Gina had been so focused, she hadn't even noticed them step away. "It looks like this place has a pretty fancy bath house, and from the looks of it they offer discounts to large groups. We should all just crash in one of their bigger suites for the night."

"Good idea," Erza replies with a grin. "I think it would do us all some good to get some rest and start fresh."

* * *

Natsu leans back in the hot water, staring up at the moon. Normally a soak like this would be a god-send after a nightmarish train ride. Instead, he already feels perfectly relaxed. He loves the feeling, but hates knowing what it cost.

"Hey Natsu," Gray mumbles, sitting down in the water off to his left.

"How is she?" Natsu asks, worried sick about Gina's fever.

"You say that like there's only one female in our whole team," Gray chuckles.

"Don't be an ass," Natsu complains. "Just tell me."

"Her fever seemed pretty high after the train ride," Gray confirms, and Natsu grits his teeth in frustration, "but I think I managed to get it back down close to normal."

"Good," Natsu replies, closing his eyes.

"You're not gonna be able to force her to act the way you want her to, ya' know," Gray grumbles, leaning back against the rocks. "None of us can. I've tried, but she's too damn stubborn. Besides, you shouldn't beat yourself up about it. She seems to think it's okay."

 _Or she doesn't care…_ Natsu chokes, barely keeping the words back. _Laxus said I can't let her know what he suspects or she'll take off. Damn._

"Well, well," Gina's voice rings out, and Natsu's eyes dart towards the sound. "I expected you two boys to be arguing about who gets the better spot by now."

"Awww, give us at least some credit," Gray gripes. "Natsu hasn't had enough time to be a full-blown idiot yet."

Natsu knows he should take the bait, but his tongue is frozen. He can't take his eyes off her legs as they slide beneath the water. The bath house loaned all of them swimwear, since the baths are co-ed, and Gina's picked out a black and red bikini. His heart kicks up into high gear, as he struggles to get his breath back. She's even more beautiful than she was in her pretty ball gown the night the old geezer died. Hell… this is almost as amazing as the black lace panties she'd been wearing that morning in Lucy's room….

A huge splash of hot water to the face breaks him out of his daze.

"Hey, what the hell was that for?!" he shouts at Gray.

"Your idiot was finally showing," Gray laughs.

"Shut up!" Natsu yells, cheeks burning slightly.

"You wanna go?!" Gray shouts back, but it's obvious Gray is covering for him, and for once he's thankful.

"Hell yeah!" he says, standing up.

"Save it for the pillow fight boys," Erza's tone commands as she slips into the water in her own requipped purple bikini.

"Yes mam," they reply in unison.


	19. Chapter 19 - History Lessons

"Manage to find anything interesting?" Gina asks, joining Lucy and Levy in the library's small room for historical records.

"Not much," Levy sighs, sitting back and pinching the bridge of her nose beneath her wind reader glasses. "All the first-hand accounts I've been able to find were just about the men disappearing. No witnesses, and no other weird details."

"They all worked at the steel mill though," Lucy adds, "so whoever is at fault isn't venturing into the town at least." Lucy puts her own wind reader glasses into her small purse. "I think we've hit a dead end."

Gina motions to Ming to sneak into Lucy's purse at the first opportunity. "What about the town's history?"

"What do you mean?" Levy responds with a confused look.

"Well," Gina explains. "Odds are, whatever is causing the problem has been around for a while. Most creatures don't travel huge distances, and if it's one of those that does, it seems like it would stick out more. Didn't the flyer say something about ice golems?"

"Oh yeah!" Lucy shouts, grabbing a huge book from a lower cabinet. "Now that you mention it…"

"Let me check," Levy says excitedly, sliding the book towards herself on the table and beginning to flip through the pages rapidly. "Huh… it looks like there is some local lore, but it's very, very old. It claims there were ice golems in the mountains north of here, but it was hundreds of years ago. Oh weird!"

"What?" Gina asks, hoping for better news.

"This town was famous for its rain women!" Levy says brightly.

"You mean like Juvia?" Lucy asks. "Wow. I've never met another one."

 _Another one?!_ Gina's mind reels in shock. _JUVIA?! Does Makarov know?!_

A rain woman is a nymph front. There is no such thing as a human born with a body made entirely of water, but the nymphs needed people to believe there are. The water nymph's effects on the weather is too unstable, and generally too difficult to hide. The stories were invented millennia ago, and subsequently succeeded in making it even easier for a water nymph to hide than most other nymph types. People aren't as easily willing to believe such a lie about a fire elemental. Too frightening.

Gina's met Juvia a few times, but has never fought with her or gone on a job together. She's never even suspected. _Does Juvia suspect my true nature? She isn't likely to expose me if she does._

"Juvia is a rain woman?" Gina finally chokes out.

"Oh yeah, hadn't you noticed?" Lucy sighs, rolling her eyes. "That's why it rains every time Gray turns her down for a date."

"Oh, sorry I hadn't noticed," Gina mumbles. _Now it makes even more sense! A rain woman - water nymph - would be naturally drawn to an ice or water mage._

"Oh how sad!" Levy adds, still reading. "This says there was a noble family here once. They were fairly reclusive, but very supportive of the town. This says their estate was burned down by looters just shy of 20 years ago, and the town has suffered ever since."

"You said the town _was_ famous for rain women though," Gina interjects, "Why is that past tense?"

"It looks like some of the rain women were killed in the fire," Levy replies. "I guess the mother of the family was known to be one. The Lord and Lady, and all seven of their daughters were killed."

 _Too much attention,_ Gina thinks, swallowing thickly.

"Wait," Lucy says in a confused tone, "How the hell did a rain woman die in a fire?"

 _She didn't…_ Gina acknowledges with a sigh. _This story has every indication of a nymph hunt._

"Yeah, that doesn't make much sense," Levy agrees. "It makes the whole story a little questionable, but look! They have a photo of the family."

Sure enough. The photo is a very good one. It shows a proud, regal-looking woman with six daughters of varying ages all around her. The Lord beside her has the tell-tale signs of a Sire mark peeking above the high collar of his silk shirt and tie. The lady is also holding a small bundle in her arms. Upon closer inspection, it proves to be an infant; a newborn water nymph with azure blue hair. There are a couple photos of staff as well, and Gina knew there would be talk in the town of how much the young maids looked like the Lord. The talk would have been diminished by the fact that no _human_ man could have that many children that close together - unless he was sleeping with the whole town. Or unless his children didn't visibly age beyond their 20s.

At least the riddle was solved for Gina. There had been a water nymph colony here the whole time. They'd grown too bold, and drawn too much attention. The photo of the wreckage left behind, in testament to their once-proud home, is proof enough of that. The trouble in town must be related to the stragglers who were left behind.

"Oh, how sad," Lucy says with teary eyes. "Some of them were just little babies."

Levy sighs heavily, and shuts the big book. "It still doesn't help us with the mission though."

 _I need to find that nymph colony,_ Gina muses. "Well, maybe we should look around town some more," she says with a smile. "Why don't you two check in with Erza and Gajeel up at the steel mill? I think I'll head to the restaurant and give them a heads-up about our menu, and then meet you back at the hotel later?"

"Sure thing," Lucy says with a thumbs up and a wink. "Maybe they've had better luck."

Gina snatches up her bag with Ming, and - hopefully - Lucy's wind reader glasses, inside and heads out the door. She heads down the street briskly, but after a couple of blocks Ming signals to her that she is being followed after curling up on her shoulders.

"Can I help you?" she asks without turning around.

"Thought you could use a hand," Natsu's voice rings out from behind her.

She turns back and eyes him suspiciously. "I'm just going to check in with the restaurant."

"Oh, well you passed that a few buildings back," he says giving her an adorable grin. "See? You did need help."

"Oh," she glances back. _Damn…_ "Thank you."

Gina heads back to the restaurant, and asks to speak with the chef. Natsu sits in the front looking bored while she explains their unique tastes back in the kitchen. The chef looks appalled by the idea of serving scrap metal, hot coals, and large volumes of raw fish, but she argues that everything is easily available with a steel mill and port in the area. He eventually concedes when she pays him up front. Now that her cover is taken care of, she has to get creative again.

* * *

 _Blah, blah, blah…_ Natsu mentally sighs. _How can she still be back there talking about food she's not even eating yet?_

"There you are!" Happy shouts, coming in the front door.

"What's up Happy?" he replies with a smile.

"I'm looking for you, duh," the blue exceed says, coming to rest on the floor by his feet.

"Oh really?" he teases. "I thought you'd still be with your girlfriend."

"Shut up, Natsu," Happy quips, getting riled up about the little white exceed - Carla. "Where's _yours_?"

Natsu rolls his eyes. "Right. Like I can date a woman I can't touch." _Not that I would mind…_

"How is she?" Happy asks a little quieter.

"She seems okay," he confirms with a smile.

He had been worried about Gina all night. They'd all stayed in one large room together, and she'd tossed and turned a lot in her sleep. He'd fought the urge to check on her, and tried to keep his distance. After their awkward talk with Laxus, Happy admitted to him that Gina had rolled up against Natsu's body in her sleep before while they were all sleeping in a tent out on a job together. No WAY did he want that happening again when she was already so sick. He's trying to keep an eye on her today too, in case she's feeling like taking off again.

 _Wait…_ He's just about to bolt upright and see if she snuck out the back on him when she breezes through the double-doors of the kitchen.

"You should go check out what Erza and Gajeel have learned," Gina says to Natsu, heading briskly back out the front door.

"Nah," he says running to catch up with her. "They'd send Panther Lily or Gray to come find us if they found anything. I figure I'd be more help to you." _And I don't trust you not to take off!_

"I don't need help," Gina sighs. "I don't have anything left to do."

"Okay then," he replies easily. "Want to head back to the hotel instead?"

Gina looks agitated. "I wasn't planning on going straight back," she hedges.

"No problem," he smiles. "Lead the way."

"I was just going to go for a walk," she tries again.

"That's a great idea, right Happy?" Natsu says, turning to the blue cat with a thumbs-up.

"Aye sir!" Happy cheers, and _finally_ Gina smiles.

"Oh alright," she says.

Gina begins walking, and Natsu and Happy fall into step beside her. They tour the port on their way, and Happy drools at the sight of all the fresh fish. They pass a magic shop eventually, and Natsu begs to go inside. He checks for magical keys first, but they don't have any. Then he asks about tokens. They have a few.

"What does this one do?" Natsu asks Gina, pointing to a green coin with silver leaves on it.

"It's a binding token," Gina explains. "Plant magic."

"Oh cool!" he says, imagining Gina tying up a whole group of bandits after he broils them. "What about this one?"

"Huh…" Gina says, looking closer. "Actually… Mam, can I see this?"

"Of course young lady," the elderly woman chuckles, pulling it out of the glass case and handing it to them.

The token is a rusty looking piece of simple steel with odd markings on its surface. "I can't be sure," Gina breathes, "but I think it's a translation token."

"Huh?" Natsu asks. "Sounds boring."

"Maybe…" she says, turning the token over and over. "Mam, I would like to buy this one please."

"That'll be 50,000 jewel," the old woman grins.

"50,000 jewel!" Natsu screeches in disbelief, and watches dumbfounded as Gina just hands over the money.

"Please excuse my friend," Gina smiles, taking the token and towing him from the shop by the hand.

"That lady just robbed you!" Natsu shouts after they're back in the crowded street.

"Oh hush," she says, rolling her eyes. "She did no such thing. This token is very old, and very rare."

"How does it work?" he asks.

"Not sure," Gina admits.

"So you just paid 50,000 jewel for something you don't even know how to use?!" he spits in disbelief.

"Yes, I did," she says with a devilish grin. "I have the feeling it will come in handy. I need these items for my magic, Natsu. I can't just shout 'Fire Dragon Roar' and make a spell happen."

"I know," he says with a shrug. "Why do you think I wanted to go in there in the first place? I can't use any of that crap. It just seems like a lot."

"Don't worry about me," she says, playfully nudging his arm, but it makes his heart hurt.

 _That's not possible…_ he keeps to himself.

They walk for another hour, and begin getting further and further away from the town. They're at least half a mile east of where the steel mill is supposed to be. Natsu has been following along without complaint, but now he's beginning to get hungry. His stomach is growling audibly, and Ming keeps staring at him from over Gina's shoulder.

"Where the heck are we going, Gina?" he finally asks.

"You don't have to come," she says with a laugh. "Why don't you go on back to the hotel with Happy? They should have some snacks in the room."

"No way," he argues. "And leave you out here in the middle of the woods? What are you lookin' for anyway?"

"I'm not sure," Gina says, obviously searching the terrain for something. "Lucy and Levy found some information about an old house that had burned down out here somewhere. I was wondering if I could find it."

"Do you think it has to do with the missing guys?" he asks.

"No," she says, walking over the next rise in the terrain. "I was just curious."

"Well your curiosity is going to kill this cat," Happy objects.

"Oh my heavens…" Gina gasps.

Natsu is shocked at what they've walked up on. There are huge stone walls, mostly torn down with plant life grown all over their stubby bases. The building must have been a mansion, easily larger than the one in Mapleton - maybe even bigger than the one Lucy grew up in.

"What happened here?" Happy asks timidly.

Natsu sees Gina start to fall out of the corner of his eye, and rushes to catch her. "Whoa!"

Ming leaps lithely down from her shoulders on her way down. Natsu helps her come to a seated position on the dirt ground, and looks at her more closely. She has her hand covering her mouth and tears are beginning to stream from both of her eyes, but her eyes are fixed in horror at the scene in front of them.

"What's wrong Gina?" Natsu asks.

"They killed them," Gina chokes out. "Look at them. Look at how many beds there are!"

Natsu stands and turns his eyes to the rubble again; noticing details he'd missed before. There is much more than walls here. He stands up and walks towards a half-burned kitchen table; easily able to seat _all_ of his guildmates. Then he notices the crib. It is so covered in leaves that he hadn't even recognized it turned over on its side, but it's more weather-beaten then burned. He looks further and feels the blood drain from his face. There are row after row of little metal bed frames spread through the rubble. It doesn't look like a mansion. It looks like a burned down dormitory.

"Who lived here?" he asks, numbly.

"A noble family," Gina sniffs, as Ming hangs his head by her side. "with a lot of their staff. The history book we found said they were attacked by looters. The story said the Lord and Lady, and all seven of their daughters, were killed in the fire, but I suspect now that it may have been all of them."

"Looters did this?!" Happy shouts in shock, hovering over Natsu's shoulder.

Natsu's fists begin to tremble, and he begins to see red. There were at least 50 beds in this house, maybe more. _Seven daughters!_ he rages. _They were just kids! They couldn't defend themselves!_ "Did they find out who any of them were?!"

"Who?" Gina asks, looking up in confusion with tears still running down her beautiful face.

"The monsters who did this!" Natsu shouts, wanting to hurt something.

"No," Gina sighs. "No, I suspect they were long gone before anyone from the town managed to get here."

"GOD THIS KIND OF SHIT MAKES ME SO MAD!" Natsu says, kicking a brick across the ground.

"I should check and see if they have a library," Gina says, rising back to her feet and brushing the tears from her cheeks.

"Huh?" he asks, reeling from her sudden thought change. "What for?"

"Just in case the townspeople missed something," Gina says, making her way into the rubble. "They could have left clues behind about who hurt them or why, or history books that would be valuable to the town. You never know. I..."

Gina trips over a wooden plank and starts to fall again, and Natsu leaps over the rubble to catch her. "Be careful!" he shouts, harsher than he intended. "You could get hurt by…" he rips his arms back, realizing he could be hurting her too.

"Oh would you stop that!" Gina shouts, surprising him completely.

"What?" he asks, confused.

Gina throws her arms around him, and locks her hands behind his back.

"Gina, stop," he says, trying to remove her arms.

"No," she says definitely; nose to nose with him.

Happy giggles from above them, and Ming covers his eyes.

"This is not funny Happy!" he shouts. "Gina stop!"

"NO!" She shouts right back at him.

He glares at her.

"Glare at me all you want, Mr. Dragneel," she seethes. "But this has to stop. You are NOT hurting me just by touching me. I'm not going to let go until you get that stupid idea out of your head! You're making everyone miserable!"

"Did you…" he asks, unable to keep from smiling. "Did you just call me… _Mr. Dragneel?_ "

Happy is now roaring with laughter, and is rolling on the ground. Ming appears to be silently cheering.

"So what if I did?" she says, lifting her nose in the air. "It's your name isn't it?"

Natsu had never thought of himself as a 'Mr.' anything. _And hey…_ "I am not making everyone miserable!"

"Yes you are!" she says, glaring again. "You were mad as a hornet yesterday, and twice as rude."

"You shouldn't have held me on the train like that!" he objects, blushing despite himself.

"Why not?" she challenges. "It _wasn't_ a problem! Gray got my fever back down, right?"

He glares back at her and refuses to admit she might be right.

"Right?!"

"Oh yeah? Well what if it doesn't work next time?" he challenges back.

"If it becomes a problem - a REAL one - I promise to stop. Will that make you happy?"

 _NO!_ Natsu rages inside his head, shutting his eyes tightly. _I don't want her touching me and getting sick! But God, never touching me again…_ He fights a shudder of delight just thinking about the way her arms feel around him… the way he felt waking up in her arms on the train in Magnolia weeks ago. The thought of never touching her again is a different kind of agony now.

When he opens his eyes again, Gina's are wide and she looks surprised. She turns away with a blush on her cheeks, and she looks irritated but not irate anymore. He wants it to be true so badly. He wants to be able to touch her without fear again.

"You swear," he mumbles, letting his arms trace up her back slowly and cautiously. "This... doesn't hurt you?"

When she turns back to respond, he leans in only a breath away from her. God, he wishes he could kiss her again. Really kiss her; not just standing there like a dumbstruck idiot. His eyelids barely drift down, and his nose brushes hers slightly when she suddenly speaks again.

"Yes," she says, pulling back and stepping away from him completely. "I told you it didn't. Now help me look. Please."

Natsu feels his cheeks burn with embarrassment, and his heart hurts at the new form of rejection. He turns to see Happy stifling a giggle with his hand, and glares at the little cat. 'Shut up' he mouths at his best friend.

Gina, Natsu, Ming and Happy sort through the rubble for a few minutes. Happy is flying over the rubble trying to get a better view of the floorplan from the air. Ming appears to be fascinated by some silver spoons he's found. Gina is starting to push back against what might be a bookshelf when a strange noise catches Natsu's ear.

"GINA GET DOWN!" he screams, barely grabbing her around the middle and yanking her out of the way before a huge chunk of ice slams into the rubble wall beside her. He shields her body with his own as he feels several heavy stones land on his back.

* * *

Gina screams, startled out of her search by the sudden explosion of sound, and the feeling of Natsu's body being crushed onto her own. He lifts off of her a moment later.

"Natsu?!" Happy shouts.

"Are you okay?" Natsu asks, running his hands over Gina's sides.

"Yes," she nods frantically, "Yes, I'm alright."

She turns to see where the attack came from, and her breath catches at the sight. An impossibly long distance away stands an enormous ice golem. It must stand over 12 feet tall, and the ice shines a brilliant crystal blue. It has large ice spikes sticking out from all its major joints, like make-shift weapons, and its face is harsh and angular. The eyes glow a brilliant jade color.

The golem is readying another ice boulder as it runs their direction. She runs towards Ming, and he transforms himself back into his traveling form - enclosing himself in his granite-like eggshell. She scoops up the egg and shoves it in her bag quickly.

"Fire Dragon…!" Natsu starts shouting, sucking in air for his famous fire breath attack.

"WAIT!" she screams, jumping in front of him.

He chokes on the incomplete spell. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Natsu, look out!" Happy shouts, grabbing Natsu around the waist with his tail while flying, and ripping him to the side as the wall explodes behind him again.

"Gina!" Natsu screams, missing his grip on her hand as she dives the other way. "Put me down Happy!"

The ice golem is gaining on them, running straight up the hill. Gina grips her token bag and quickly feels for the earth-mover token.

"Unstable shelf!" she screams, pushing her magic into her false form at full strength, and slamming her fist into the ground.

The ground ahead of the ice golem splits in a rushing line, and the top several layers of soil begin sliding out from under its feet. It loses its footing, and begins sliding back down the hill.

 _It might be an actual ice golem…_ Gina thinks in panic. _But it's much more likely to be water nymphs masquerading as an ice golem! I have to keep him from hurting them! And them from hurting him!_

"Fire Dragon, Sword Horn!" Natsu's voice screams, as his head collides with another ice boulder she hadn't seen coming her way. The boulder shatters and he runs back to her, grabbing her and throwing her over his shoulder as he begins running towards the direction of the steel mill. "What the hell are you doing?!" he screams again.

"That golem might know where the missing men are!" she shouts as his shoulder digs painfully into her stomach.

"AND YOU WANT TO TALK TO IT?!" he screams incredulously. He suddenly loses his footing, as the ground beneath them turns to ice, and he spins so that she lands on top of him as he lets out a painful groan.

"It's worth a try!" she begs.

"Okay. Fine!" he shouts.

"Natsu!" Happy shouts from above them.

He rolls them over quickly several times, coming to a stop above her and shielding her body again as a tree beside them explodes in a flurry of splinters.

"HEY ICE MONSTER!" Natsu screams in an outraged voice. "MY CRAZY FRIEND WANTS TO TALK TO YOU! STOP TRYING TO KILL US!"

The ground beneath them erupts in a jagged spike of ice, just as Happy rips them into the air.

"You're too heavy!" Happy drops them a few feet away; unable to support both of them for long.

"I DON'T THINK THEY SPEAK OUR LANGUAGE!" Natsu shouts at her with a withering glare. "OR MAYBE THEY JUST _REALLY_ WANT TO KILL US!"

 _Language…._ Gina's mind races. _Language! They probably do speak our language, but won't act like it. But they might respond to Etheria!_ Etheria is the ancient nymph language of her people. Rarely spoken anymore, but something many nymphs would at least recognize. She'd just purchased her new token as a cover in case she ended up needing to use it in front of anyone.

"Let me try my new token!" she shouts back, seeing that the ice golem is gaining on them again.

"YOU WANT TO USE THAT OLD THING NOW?!" Natsu screams in disbelief.

She pulls the coin from her bag, and flips it; catching it on her forearm. "Translation Technique!" she shouts. Then she begins shouting in the ancient language - hoping her dialect is close enough. " _PLEASE STOP!"_ she begs, and the golem begins to slow. " _I AM NOT A NYMPH ENEMY! I AM ONE OF YOU!"_

The golem slows further, and stops a mere 100 feet from them.

" _I AM A FIRE NYMPH FROM BEYOND ISHGAR!"_ she continues. " _PLEASE SPEAK WITH ME!_ "


	20. Chapter 20 - Hostage

"Geez… so far this search is turning up a whole lot'a nothin'," Gray groans, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Quit your whinin' Ice boy," Gajeel grumbles in response, not taking his eyes off the trees around him as he munches on a handful of bolts from the mill, "What did you expect? A sign saying 'Kidnappers on the left, 1 mile?'"

"Whatever. I'm just sayin' I don't think there's a lot of point to this," Gray snaps back. "All the men who were abducted were alone, and we're in a massive group. And you say you haven't caught a whiff of anything."

"I haven't either," Wendy sighs approaching from behind them, and folding her hands together with a disappointed expression. "Everything just smells really wet."

"Wet?" Gray asks.

"Yeah," she sighs. "Like the dew first thing in the morning. No new animal or human scents though. The only ones I sense are from the mill workers."

 _Well if two dragon slayers don't sense anything, then we're not gonna find it for sure_ , Gray muses.

"So," Panther Lily's deep bass voice booms in from his tiny stature at Gajeel's feet, "What should we do next?"

"I think we should regroup with everyone and find out what's been learned," Carla declares in an authoritative tone, padding up softly behind Wendy.

"I agree," Erza shouts down after appearing above a boulder in the distance. "Levy and Lucy have arrived from the library. They have news that would be best to discuss as a group. Let's move out everyone!"

Gray falls into step in the back, keeping tabs on everyone as they begin to head back towards the village. After a few minutes down the trail, a faint noise catches his ear. It's barely present, and he may have never noticed… except it's the same noise he hears sometimes when Juvia follows him around the guildhall. It's like a tiny trickle of water over stone.

 _What the heck?_ Gray thinks. _There's no way she's followed me all the way out here! She was on a job with Max before we left…_

Gray turns scanning the trees around him again, feeling the hair on the back of his neck rise in warning. He turns to shout towards Gajeel, but his breath catches in his throat as he realizes there is a woman made completely of water standing nose to nose with him.

"Shhhhh…" she whispers, with a watery blue finger to her lips, and before he can scream a warning, she's pulled him into the water-lock of her body.

 _Damnit!_ He thinks in frustration, trapped within the water. _Just like Juvia!_

* * *

"What was that?" Gajeel grumbles, turning towards Gray, but Gray isn't there. "Ice Prince? … Where are ya?"

There is no response, and Gray's scent is disturbingly diminished.

"Hey, Gray!" he shouts again.

"What's going on?" Erza asks, running back towards him.

"Uhhhh…" Gajeel swallows hard, "He was there a minute ago, but now, he's…" he hesitates locking eyes with Lucy, "Uh… gone."

"Gone! What do you mean gone?!" Lucy shouts, looking panicked.

"I mean I don't see him, do you?" Gajeel grumbles back.

Lucy rips a golden key off of her keyring and shouts, "Open! Gate of the Lion! Leo!"

The cat-man in his shiny suit appears, pushing up the glasses on his face. "What's up beautiful?" Loke asks. "Need me to teach someone a lesson?"

Loke, also known as the celestial spirit Leo, is a former member of Fairy Tail who was masquerading as a human wizard before Lucy recognized him for the spirit he was. Lucky for him, since Lucy also prevented him from dying in the human world and signed a contract with the guy for life. He's a tall, lean, pretty boy with pale skin and a huge mane of orange hair; appropriate for the lion of the Zodiac. He's the strongest of all of them, and the most fit for battle; but likes to strut around in a 3-piece suit and red tie.

"Oh-my-God-Loke, Gray-is-missing!" Lucy begins shouting almost too fast for anyone to keep up, and making Gajeel's head hurt. "You-have-to-help-us-search-and…"

"Wait, what?!" Loke asks, turning his stunned expression towards Erza.

"You heard, her. Just start looking!" Erza shouts.

* * *

" _PLEASE SPEAK WITH ME!_ " Gina tries again, facing down the ice golem.

"What are you saying?" Natsu breathes from beside Gina, crouched with every muscle in his body tense.

"I'm asking it to speak with me," she whispers back.

"That barely even sounds like a language," he mumbles. "It's a bunch of weird sounds and clicking."

"What do you expect an ice golem to sound like?" she balks. The true language of early nymphs had foot-placements and dance-like movements involved, but that portion had been lost over the ages.

" _YOU ARE A FIRE NYMPH?"_ the ice golem booms back at her in a deep base voice. Gina struggles to make out the words through the broken, choppy dialect. It seems they speak an even more ancient version than she is familiar with, and she has no way of knowing if their movements are supposed to be significant.

" _YES_ ," she replies, and casually lifts the hem of her shirt to display her nymph's mark without Natsu or Happy noticing.

"What did it say?" Natsu whispers again.

"I'm not sure," she lies.

" _LIAR!"_ the ice golem booms, slamming its fist towards her. " _NO QUEEN WOULD BE SO WEAK! WE FEEL NO FIRE IN YOUR SOUL!"_

 _Shit!_ Gina thinks in panic. She hadn't expected them to recognize the Queen markings so easily.

Natsu rips Gina out of the way, screaming, "Fire Dragon Talon!" and bringing his foot down hard into the golem's arm - snapping it off at the elbow.

The golem screams in pain, and Gina is not surprised to see the ice melt, slide back up the golem's body, and re-form itself into the missing arm. The transformation was the nymph that got knocked loose shifting back into place.

"Don't hurt it!" she screams at him.

"I'm not going to let it hurt _YOU_!" he shouts back.

The renewed golem shoots a lance out of ice straight towards Natsu, and she steps in front of it quickly. It stops inches from her abdomen.

"Gina stop!" Natsu roars, gripping her shoulders to slide her out of the way.

" _YOU WOULDN'T DARE INJURE A SIRE!"_ she screams in rage in the ancient language, feeling desperate and refusing to move. " _OUR MOST SACRED LAW!"_

" _HE IS NO MORE A SIRE THAN YOU ARE A QUEEN!"_ it roars back, but withdraws its lance.

"What the hell is it saying?!" Natsu roars in frustration.

"It wants to know who we are," Gina explains. " _I AM A QUEEN!"_ she insists, pointing to herself and then Natsu, " _AND HE WILL BE A SIRE! I AM AEGINA ASTEROPE! DAUGHTER OF AXIS! WOULD YOU ROB MY PEOPLE OF THEIR FUTURE?!"_

"Natsu, put your arms around me," she says.

"Huh?" he asks in confusion.

"Just do it quickly," she urges.

He wraps his arms protectively around her middle. She turns to face him and puts her arms around behind his head, burying her face on the side of his neck. She quickly nuzzles his scaled, white scarf out of the way, and kisses him there briefly with true heartfelt affection. As she'd hoped, it is just enough to get her struggling fire magic to flare briefly, and she feels Natsu's body stiffen in surprise. She hopes the shock is from her action, and not the flare of fire he can undoubtedly feel.

"What… are you doing?!" Happy whispers from above them. Natsu seems stunned into silence, but she can feel his affection radiating from him strongly now, and so - undoubtedly - can the others.

"I'm explaining that we're lovers," she replies quietly. "Right sweetie?" She looks into his eyes, willing him to go along with her words.

"Yeah…" Natsu mumbles, looking at her slightly confused before glancing back at the golem. "So you'd better stop trying to lay a hand on her!" he shouts back at the golem. "This woman is mine!"

Natsu surprises her by pulling her in suddenly for a soul-stealing kiss. She gasps at the suddenly overpowering mixture of affection and lust that pours from him, and the strength with which her body desperately soaks it up. It makes her heart hurt. He tastes of fire as his tongue dances briefly with hers, and she desperately tries not to tremble when he pulls back just as quickly.

"Now what?" he whispers in her ear, keeping his eyes on the threat. She turns back to the golem trying desperately to regain her train of thought, and her breath.

The golem stares them down in silence for a long time.

" _WHAT DO YOU WANT HERE?"_ it finally asks. " _WHY WOULD YOU EXPOSE HIM THIS WAY?"_

" _PLEASE,"_ she begs, still struggling to remember the words. " _I MUST SPEAK WITH YOU. ALONE. HE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT I AM. HE IS HERE ABOUT THE MISSING MEN. I HOPE TO HELP YOU."_

" _NO ONE CAN HELP US,"_ the golem responds in a somber tone for the first time. " _OUR QUEEN AND SIRE ARE DEAD."_

" _YES, I LEARNED THAT TODAY,"_ she admits. " _PLEASE. I CANNOT SAY ALL I NEED TO HERE."_

" _HAVE YOU COME WITH THE METAL MAGE, AND THE WOMAN WITH THE STARS?"_ the golem asks, surprising her again.

" _YES. YOU HAVE MET THEM?"_

" _WE HAVE YOUR ICE MAGE,"_ it responds in warning. " _COME TO US TONIGHT, AT THE EASTERN LAKE, AND WE WILL COME TO AN AGREEMENT."_

 _Gray…_ Gina realizes, with a sharp intake of breath. She nods in agreement, and the ice golem melts into the ground as quickly as it first appeared.

"Hey!" Natsu shouts. ""Where the hell is it going? What did it say?!"

"It has Gray," she sighs, sitting down heavily in the grass. Natsu quickly kneels beside her.

"What?!" he shouts. "We have to go bring it back!"

"There is no way, Natsu," she begs him. "If we want to see those men back alive - Gray included - it has to bring them willingly. I have asked it to meet us here again tomorrow."

"I can't believe that frosty idiot got himself captured!" Natsu seethes, then he suddenly looks nervous. "Did… did I do… okay?"

Gina can't help but laugh at his question. If he was trying to show a nymph he was up for the job of Sire, he couldn't have done a better job. He'd shielded her at every turn. He'd fought for her, and his affection and lust had rung as clearly to any nymph as a lighted sign. It was both thrilling and heartbreaking.

"You did great," she says with a smile.

"Why the heck did that overgrown snowman care if you guys shacked up?" Happy says, floating to the ground with a heavy sigh. "Why did you even say that?"

"U-ummmm…" Gina chokes, desperately searching her mind for a reasonable explanation - other than the truth.

Ming explodes out of her bag in his furry form again waving his fists. He points at Natsu in exaggerated fashion, and then at her. Much to her dismay, he then starts pointing at her belly adamantly; as if it should be obvious. Natsu and Happy are both watching the little monster, and struggling to understand his newest attempt to tattle on her.

"Uhhh," Natsu chokes, and looks up at her nervously. "You told that thing you're pregnant?"

"Yes," she suddenly agrees, grasping at straws as Ming slaps his paw against his forehead and swoons in frustration once again. "I thought… I thought it was significant that it was only stealing men. I th-thought there could be a chance that it wouldn't hurt a child or a family unit. So, I… said I was pregnant, and you were the father. Hoping that might keep it from taking you too." _Sure. That sounds reasonable, right?_

"Oh," Natsu says, with the faintest hint of disappointment on his features. "Good thinking. I'm sorry if I…"

"No," she giggles. "No you were perfect. Very convincing."

"Yeah," he swallows hard, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It was one heck of a kiss!" Happy shouts in a sing-song voice before dodging out of Natsu's reach.

* * *

Gajeel takes a bite out of the iron rebar on his plate, and chews methodically. It's not the best stuff in the world, but not bad for this little dinky corner of Earthland. He glances around the oversized table of Fairy Tail friends, seething at the fact that one of them was now missing and was - according to Gina - being held hostage.

The girls had gone bananas as soon as Ice Lips got snatched just outside the steel mill. They hadn't even been fighting; just snooping around in the woods looking for clues. One minute, Gray was right behind them; the next, he was gone. Gajeel had heard the tell-tale sound of rushing water just beforehand, but had been looking for a stream to find its source.

"Are you sure these things aren't water based, and just showing up frozen?" he asks the group now for their thoughts. He can't stand silence from this particular crowd.

"What do you mean, Gajeel?" Levy responds from beside him, obviously trying to get the rest of the mopey losers to engage.

"I heard water just before Gray went missing," Gajeel explains. "At first I was lookin' for a source, but you said that thing that attacked you was made of ice, so it makes me wonder."

"Actually, yeah," Natsu chimes in, seeming to check back into the conversation for the first time. "Now that you mention it, I snapped an arm off it at one point and it re-grew by turning into water first. Then when it disappeared, it just melted into the ground. Right Gina?"

"Uh, yes," she nods half-heartedly. "I guess that makes sense."

"Damn," Gajeel mutters, running a hand over his face. "Helluva time not to have Juvia along."

"Did you all end up fighting one too?" Gina asks.

"No," Lucy mumbles. "We never even saw it."

Gajeel feels bad for the poor girl. Most these idiots don't even know she and Gray are seeing each other. Natsu and he know because the smell makes it obvious. Which was another thing that was buggin' him. Gina and Natsu came back smellin' like they'd been rolling around together. Could be the fight he supposed, but it still made him suspicious about whether Gina was messin' with Natsu's head again. He didn't know whether to cheer them on or chew them out.

"I don't understand then…" Gina says, rubbing her temples. "That golem knew your abilities. It asked me if I was with the metal mage and woman with the stars."

"It was watchin' us…" he realizes, feeling dumber than normal. "I was chewin' on steel while we looked around, and Blondie called up Loke to help look for Gray the second he went missin'. I don't think anyone else really used their abilities because there was nothin' to fight."

"When did it agree to meet with us?" Erza asks with tired eyes.

"Actually," Gina says nervously. "It agreed to meet with _me_ ; not with everyone. I think if we bring everyone down there, we could risk scaring it off and never getting the men back."

"It's not like the rest of us can talk to it anyway," Natsu scoffs. "You guys should hear that crazy crap. It's complete gibberish. I think Gina's right though. I think it should just be her and me tomorrow, and you guys can hang close for back-up."

"Natsu," Gina says with a sigh. "I think it would be best of all if it were _just_ me. I have the translation token. That's all I need."

"Not a chance," he scoffs. "It'll never work anyway."

"Why not?" she huffs, looking offended. Gajeel would be amused by the bickering if he wasn't so pissed off already. "Do you think I'm not capable?"

"It has nothing to do with you being capable!" Natsu shouts, suddenly pointing at her midriff. "It's because of the _baby_ , duh! Do you honestly think it's going to believe _I'm_ not around?"

Gajeel suddenly feels like he's been shocked by Laxus back at the old guildhall, and a quick glance around the table shows a similar feeling from everyone else. _Baby?! What the hell are they on about now?!_

"What on Earthland does the baby have to do with it?" Gina fires right back without a moment's hesitation.

That's all it takes.

"Baby?!" little Wendy shrieks. "Oh my goodness! Why didn't you say anything?" She rushes with her hands outstretched towards Gina with her healing magic.

"Good heavens!" Carla scolds in a scandalous voice. "Wendy could have checked on it as soon as you got back!"

"NATSU?!" Lucy screeches simultaneously. "You IDIOT! Did you even think about Gina's feelings before you opened your big mouth?!"

"How… wait… what?" Erza reels in shock. "When?!"

Levy looks at her lap with a deep blush, and Gajeel is shocked to see the faintest smile on her lips.

"I have to say…" even Panther Lily adds his deep voice to the now constant exclamations. "Honestly, Natsu, I expected more caution from you."

Gajeel is desperately trying to suppress a smile of his own now, watching the flabbergasted non-couple gasp for air with looks of utter confusion on their faces. _No way Gina's pregnant,_ he muses to himself only. _Her smell hasn't changed THAT much._

"Would you all SHUT UP?!" Natsu screams over them, effectively silencing the group. "Geez… How the hell do you all think I got Gina _pregnant_ when I can't even touch her without making her sick? I'm not an asshole!"

"What he means," Gina rushes to explain, "is that the ice golem _believes_ I am pregnant. It was my cover story to try and keep the golem from hurting me or taking him. I had a hunch, because it has only been stealing men - not women or children."

 _Teehee…_ Gajeel thinks with a perverted chuckle. _I wonder how willing Natsu was to play the part? No wonder they smelled like they'd been makin' out when they got back!_

"You should have seen Natsu's face!" Happy suddenly bursts into a complete fit of laughter.

"Come on, guys," Natsu scoffs with a sideways glare at Gajeel. "Get your minds out'a the gutter will ya."

Everyone around the table now looks like an odd mixture of relief, disappointment, and embarrassment.

"Oh… well that's a relief," Wendy says with a smile, taking her chair again.

"And you honestly think that thing gives a crap?" Gajeel practically laughs out loud. "Even if you _were_ pregnant, why would an ice golem care?"

"I don't know," Gina shrugs, "but it stopped trying to kill us, and agreed to speak with me tomorrow after that. I don't know what it wants, honestly."

"Well, I'm not sure that waiting around for tomorrow is the best strategy," Erza chimes in, having regained her composure. "I think we should try it - using Gina and Natsu as a good-faith attempt. But I still think we need to know more about what we're dealing with. I find it odd that the creature stole Gray out from under our noses, but blatantly attacked Natsu and Gina with no provocation."

"Maybe it's because we were snooping around in that old house?" Natsu asks, turning to Gina for feedback.

"What?" Levy sits forward with sudden excitement. "The one from the book?"

"Did you find it?" Lucy adds.

"Yeah," Gina replies a little too casually. "I decided to look for it while Natsu and I were taking a walk and waiting for you guys to come back. When we found it, I decided to see if it had any remnants of a library or anything left behind. The ice golem attacked us just a few minutes after I started looking. Natsu was angry about..." she swallows hard, "how many people it looked like they'd killed in the fire. He was shouting. Maybe that's why the golem heard us."

"Nah, I don't buy it," Gajeel disagrees. "If that thing was watching us, it doesn't just attack at random. And it didn't try to snatch you, like Gray. It tried to kill you. You were getting too close to something important."

Gina just shrugs in response.

"Well," Erza replies. "I think we should all go out as a group to that house tonight, and see if we can gather _any_ additional information without provoking it. We need to stick together for both offensive and defensive advantage. We still don't really know if we're dealing with one golem or many, and I don't want Gina and Natsu walking into a trap if we can help it."

"I think that's a good idea," Gina adds. "But we'll need to be very quiet about it."

"I wasn't that loud…" Natsu fidgets uncomfortably with a kicked-puppy expression.

"I'm not saying you were," Gina smiles back reassuringly.

The whole dynamic between those two is enough to give Gajeel a permanent migraine.

"It's settled then," Erza says, wiping her mouth and setting her napkin down gently.

* * *

 _How the hell am I going to get out of this?_ Gina frets, pacing back and forth across the floor in the big room everyone is sharing, and rubbing furiously at her arms against the heat in her blood. She returned ahead of the others from dinner. _I can't help them 'search' AND meet the water nymphs at the same time…_ "Ming," she says, lifting him out of her shoulder bag. "I need your help."

"Gina?" Erza's voice asks, as she enters the room abruptly. "How are you feeling?"

"Huh?" Gina asks, feeling slightly dizzy and letting Ming drop to the floor.

"Be honest with me," Erza insists. "You've been with Natsu all day, and you look exhausted."

"I do?" she muses. _I DO! That's it! I need to give in to the heat, not fight it!_ "Oh no, I'm sure I'm…"

Erza presses her hands against Gina's face to take her temperature. "You're burning up. And we don't have Gray around to cool you down. Wendy!"

"Yes!" Wendy squeaks, pushing the door open and entering just as quickly.

"Is there anything you can do to help Gina?" Erza asks.

"Let me try again," Wendy says, approaching with glowing hands.

"Erza, Wendy, don't," Gina objects. "It's not going to help. Please trust me."

"What's goin' on?" Natsu's voice startles her as he slides into the room through the window facing the outside.

"Gina's fever is getting worse," Wendy answers for her. "No matter what I do, it doesn't respond to my healing magic."

Natsu's expression turns furious and bitter, and he glares at Gina. He doesn't have to voice his thoughts for her to know she's lost all ground in convincing him he isn't hurting her. It breaks her heart to know the truth; that he is one of the only things that could heal her anymore. But she needs to be sick right now, so she'll have to deal with the damage later. _It's probably for the best though,_ she mentally sighs, _the last thing I want is to let him fall in love with me._

" _This_ is what I meant," Natsu seethes. "You can't just depend on the nudist to help you…"

Gina doesn't want to argue with him, so she decides to steal a play from Ming's handbook and swoon.

"Catch her!" Natsu shouts, but she can already feel Erza's strong grip on her, so she continues playing dead.

"You two can argue later," Erza's tone is stern but kind. "Right now we need to find a solution."

"We could put her in an ice bath," Wendy offers. "It would not be comfortable, but letting the fever escalate could be really dangerous."

 _Oh God no…_ Gina dreads silently.

"Help me get her into her bathing suit, Wendy," Erza orders.

"Yes, mam," Wendy replies, snapping into action.


	21. Chapter 21 - True Form

"DAMMIT!" Gajeel hears Natsu roar from out in the street.

He walks towards the obviously enraged fire dragon slayer slowly; watching the signs that the man is itching for a fight. He's heard about the state Gina's in now, and part of him pities the flaming idiot. It has to be a hard blow to have the hots for a woman who's allergic to you. No one can deny the need to find Gray, and fast.

"She's gonna be fine," Gajeel grumbles. "Let's just find ice boy, and be quick about it."

"This is my fault," Natsu barks.

Gajeel isn't going to argue with him. After all, he may be right. "Mind explainin' the smell?" he decides to poke, and sate his curiosity.

Natsu stiffens before leveling a glare at him. "Are you actually acting like she's not going to have my scent all over her after a fight like that?" he spits. "That crazy woman was literally _making herself a target_ just to talk to the stupid thing! I took as many blows to protect her as I've ever taken for Lucy on a job!"

"Don't get defensive at me, Salamander," Gajeel chuckles. "It was just a question. I wouldn't have even asked if there hadn't seemed to be some… *cough* … excitement in there too."

Natsu blushes furiously, and turns away from him. "I… kissed her. When she was trying to convince the golem we were lovers or somethin'. I thought it might help."

 _Geez…_ Gajeel mentally sighs. _That's all?_ "Doesn't seem like the kind of thing to beat yourself up over, flame brain."

"You go in there and look at her, and then tell me that!" Natsu shouts, obviously more angry with himself than Gajeel.

"I don't need to," Gajeel argues, putting steel into his tone. "If she's sick, she's sick. You did what you had to do. Big deal. Now keep it up. We have to find that icy boyfriend of yours to make her better. Right? Put your energy into the search, and stop throwing your little pity party."

Natsu nods, and heads for the edge of town without even waiting for the rest of the group.

* * *

Gray blinks against the dim light, and the pounding in his head. _Where the heck am I?_ The room is made of stone, but he appears to be lying in a big cushy bed of some kind. _What the hell?_ _Damn. I must have blacked out in the water lock._

"He's awake," he hears a faint, deep female voice giggle from the corner of the room.

"Who's there?" he demands, sitting up quickly and feeling the room spin.

"Oh my," a very high-pitched feminine voice responds. "You must be careful, cutie."

"Cutie?" he asks, bewildered by her amused tone.

He blinks a few times to clear his vision and there is a strange form standing in front of him. It looks vaguely like Juvia when she's turned her body completely into water, except; well a little bustier, with slightly broader hips. Then he realizes that somewhere along the way he's lost all his clothing except for his boxers, and he isn't sure if that's his own fault or theirs. _Shit!_

"Where am I?" he demands instead.

"You shouldn't worry about that," the woman says, walking up to him slowly. "We're going to take very good care of you."

"Huh?"

As she approaches, he realizes how incredibly beautiful she is. The sway of her hips is mesmerizing, and she keeps moving her hands across the surface of the water - her body - in a way that he can't seem to look away from.

"Just look at you…" the water woman giggles, tracing her hands up the bare plains of his chest. "All hard muscle and soft skin. Where, oh where, have you been hiding?"

"Oh, I'm not hiding," he replies with a smirk, feeling very warm and sure of himself. "You are… really beautiful."

"You think so?" the mystery woman giggles again, and he feels completely engrossed in the sound of her laughter. "I think you should kiss me then."

"Kiss you…" he mumbles, suddenly realizing the faint outline of her watery lips look delicious.

Then her lips are on his, and he's kissing her back. He groans as he feels her wet hands begin sliding across his skin. Her mouth is fervent, almost desperate, but he works to keep the upper hand in the exchange. He grips her body, momentarily surprised that he is able to with her in this form, and rolls her beneath him on the big bed. He can feel her hands sliding up his back, and then gripping his shoulders as he devours her lips in earnest. Then he decides to see what her beautiful neck tastes like.

"Oh my, Gray…" she sighs in pleasure.

Something explodes in the depth of his mind, and his hands falter on her hips as confusion washes over him like a wave.

"Don't worry, baby," the woman croons, kissing him again, but he's slower to respond. "Just kiss me again. I thought you said I was beautiful."

 _She is beautiful,_ he thinks, with his thoughts a little more muddled than a moment ago. He blinks again, trying to clear his eyes. "Of course you're beautiful," he assures her.

"Don't be shy, then," she smiles, kissing the side of his neck as he begins to settle his body down against her. "Make love to me."

"Right…" he mumbles, feeling another wave of euphoria wash over him again at her touch.

But her words disturb him. _Make love to me…_ she'd said, but his mind was screaming at him that something was wrong about her voice. _Love. Make love. Love. L-Lo-love. Make love to me._ The words were echoing off the inside of his skull like a warning bell, and the voice kept changing little by little until...

He could see her beautiful flushed face lying beside him on his bed back home. Her blond hair was draped above her across his pillows. Her beautiful blue eyes were bright as she smiled back at him brilliantly. "I love you, Gray," Lucy had whispered, and his heart had skipped a beat.

"Holy Mavis!" he shouts, ripping himself away from the watery woman, and feeling the euphoria drop off of him like a lead weight. He leaps off the bed, and stumbles away until he can feel his back against the cold stone wall.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" the woman croons, sitting up slowly.

This time he recognizes the feeling. It's a very, very powerful charm spell. This kind of magic is illegal for this very reason. _Holy crap! I was in bed with that chick! I don't know how the hell I got here, or even who she is! Lucy's gonna kill me!_

"Who the hell are you?!" he shouts at her, and she sits more upright and backs away from him. "I'm not gonna ask again! What the hell do you think you're doin' to me?! Don't think for a second I don't see through your trick, lady! That kind of magic is illegal! But charm spells don't work on someone who's aware of them, so your game is up!"

Suddenly, a wave of water rushes into the room from a door he hadn't noticed before, and forms into yet another water woman. "Calm down young man," the new deeper feminine voice orders.

"Calm down?!" he shouts. "Are you freakin' kiddin' me? You'd better tell me where the hell I am, or you're about to feel real cold, real fast!" He lets his ice make magic flare to life in his hands.

With another rush of water, six more water women appear in the room.

 _Holy Mavis, they're all like Juvia! Am I in hell?!_

"Ice make…" he shouts, rushing the group, but he feels a pair of wet hands grab his head from behind, and he barely registers the feeling of cold stone on his face before the world goes black.

* * *

"Aaahhhhh!" Gina cries out in pain, clawing her way out of the ice bath.

It doesn't sting the way Gray's ice magic does, but it's sharp and slicing. The severity of the pain worries her, because cold has never bothered her before; due to her own internal temperature overriding it.

As her body spills out onto the floor, some of the ice comes along with her, but her skin is hot enough, despite the bath, that it melts instantly on contact with her. One of the things she hates most about her life of secrecy, is that the cure for a human can be brutal on a nymph. They aren't going to be able to cure her elemental nature. And worse yet, all of this mess is her own fault. She hopes that these nymphs will have something in their library that speaks to the end stages of a nymph's experience in fading; something that can give her a better cover story. Meanwhile, meeting the water nymphs tonight is going to be tricky on numerous levels.

"Ming…" she calls out hoarsely.

Ming hops over to stand in front of her face. She can feel her body drying rapidly as he looks at her with concern; framing her face in his little paws the way he does so often now.

"I'm going to need your help," she pleads with him.

Ming understood every word of her conversation with the nymphs earlier, as his entire family is well versed in Etheria. He taps his foot in aggravation, and motions to her to indicate that he will go with her.

"I can't bring you," she argues. "I won't be able to go anywhere in my human form without risking being seen. I'm gonna have to figure out how to do this in my natural state."

Ming's eyes open wide, and he shakes his head frantically in denial. He waves his arms about, and points out to the night sky.

"I know I will be too easy to spot," she argues, not liking her own idea much to begin with, "but there is much too high of a risk that one of the group will spot our conversation, and I CANNOT be there in my human form. In my natural state, I don't think they'll recognize me. But I can't carry you inside my body without them spotting your egg, which could give me away just as easily."

Ming sighs. He closes his eyes and begins to concentrate his magic in all four paws.

"Thanks sweetie," she whispers.

He jumps onto her body and begins running all over its surface, casting a scent nullification spell. Unlike what he's used on Natsu before - altering her scent or overpowering it - this spell will wipe away her scent completely. It is necessary in the ridiculous attempt to outsmart the nose of not just one dragon slayer, but three. The real trick will be getting back to Ming in time to reverse the spell. Then he pauses while sitting on her chest and waves his arms about, asking what her plan is to deal with the flames.

"I think I'm going to fly," she admits with a hard swallow.

Ming squeaks in distress.

"I'll be alright," she assures him. "I haven't exercised them in a while." Ming rolls his eyes dramatically. "Alright, like 40 years… but the situation calls for it. Running through the woods will draw too much attention, but if I can get myself moving fast enough… maybe I'll look like a meteor or something. I can land right in the lake."

Ming bolts for the door, and she decides to stand up and prepare. She takes off the bathing suit the girls placed her into and lies it on the bathroom floor. She stands up in front of the mirror, allowing only her upper half to transform. She stretches her upper set of wings, and is surprised to find that they're slightly sore just moving around. Then she stretches her secondary set, feeling even more stiffness. Stretching the third and final set of her miniature wings is simply excruciating. She breathes deeply; trying to reassure herself that she can do this.

Ming comes back in the room dragging a long black robe he must have lifted from another room or a linen closet somewhere. He drags it right up to her, and his eyes soften when he looks at her outstretched wings.

"Would be kinda nice to see this more often, huh?" she smiles.

Ming nods in saddened agreement.

Gina transforms herself back into her fully human state and slips on the black robe from Ming. Then she decides to mimic Natsu's earlier tactic, and slides out the side window into the night. She's waited for over an hour to make her move, but if she waits any longer she risks not getting to speak with the colony before her party enrages them again. She slips silently along the walkways until she reaches the edge of town. Then, as quickly as she can manage, she rips off the cloak, transforms fully, and lifts off into the sky.

She decides to fly straight up at first and get herself behind a cloud bank. Then she struggles with maintaining altitude until the ache in her wings begins to fade into the background. Flying is a natural gift granted only to queens; as they are the only nymphs born with wings. She can only assume that it must be a genetic necessity for escape in a desperate situation. Once she feels more confident in the air, she begins to look around at the ground below her.

 _The hotel is right behind me, so the mill is… over there!_ The burned down mansion is just as far from the town, but on the opposite upper corner of the landscape. _Lake…_ she muses, _Where on Earthland is the lake?_ She spots it to the northeast of the mansion, an equal distance between the old ruin and the steel mill. She is much too high to see whether her party has made it to the mansion yet or not, but she's going to have to assume that they have.

She heads the opposite direction at first, gaining speed as she flies. Then she rounds a wide turn back in the right direction, until she's flying so fast that the wind hurts against the surface of her body. She's moving much too fast to avoid any obstacle that may be in the water, so she heads for the middle and what she hopes will be the deepest part. When she impacts the water, the impact knocks her silly and she just lets herself sink for a while.

* * *

"What the heck was that?!" Gajeel shouts, echoing Natsu's train of thought. The loud crash had been faint to human ears, but dramatic to dragon slayer senses.

"I think it was a meteor!" Happy shouts. "It looked like it was on fire, and it crashed way over there!"

"Did you see it from up there, little buddy?" Natsu asks Happy, while kicking around more of the rubble from the old burned down house. He's trying to remember where Gina had been standing when the golem attacked, but everything looks different after the big beast started lobbing boulders at them.

"Yeah!" Happy shouts in excitement, "I was looking around like you told me, just above the trees. It was much higher in the sky though."

"Weird…" Loke mumbles from beside him.

Loke, also known as Leo the Lion to the rest of the world, is a friend of his from Fairy Tail. He also happens to be a celestial spirit who is now contracted to Lucy. Natsu misses the old fur-lined jacket and cargo pants he used to sport around while he was still pretending to be human, but the suit seems to work for him too. Loke has been helping with the search since Gray first went missing, but none of them have turned up anything.

"What's up, man?" Natsu asks Loke, noting his sudden stillness.

"I didn't think there were any stars scheduled to fall tonight," Loke mumbles. "That one sure was brilliant."

"Well, normally I would go check it out," Natsu sighs, "but we've got to get Gray back quick. I need to get him back to Gina."

"Who's Gina?" Loke asks with a smirk.

"What?" Natsu asks in surprise. "How have you not met her yet, man? She's been running with our team for weeks now."

"Yeah," Loke shrugs, "I've been on vacation with Ares for a while. She needed to get out."

"Oh," Natsu smiles. "Well she's Makarov's Grandniece… kinda. She lost her original magic, which turns out to be fire magic, and she's learning holding magic from Lucy."

"Gina, huh?" Loke asks, scratching his chin.

"Yeah, Aegina Asterope." Loke freezes, with a stunned expression on his face, and Natsu narrows his eyes at the man. "You know her or somethin'?"

"Uhhh… Nope," Loke answers with a chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "Don't think I do. Very unique name though. Her parents must be very old fashioned. What's uh… what does she need Gray for?"

"She's got a fever," Natsu says, tightening his fist in frustration. "Real bad. We left her back at the hotel because she was too sick to make it out here. His magic brings her fever down. It's the only thing that works. Mine… makes it worse."

"A fever?" Loke practically scoffs.

"Yeah, I know it sounds like it's not a big deal, but it's serious okay?" Natsu replies while grinding his teeth.

"Loke! Natsu!" Lucy's voice shouts at them from the trees to their right. "Have you found anything yet?"

"No," Natsu shouts back. "There's nothing here at all. No scent. No tracks. Nothing."

"Natsu," Loke suddenly mumbles to him. "I tell you what. I don't think we're going to find anything else here tonight, but that falling star has me curious. Would you mind checking it out for me with Happy?"

"Finding Gray is what's important," Natsu argues.

"And you and I both know you're not gonna find him here, right?" Loke argues. "Trust me man. Check out the star, and let me know what you find. I'll keep helping Lucy here, and cover for you." Loke winks at him, and Natsu feels the hair on the back of his neck rise in warning.

 _Loke knows something…_ he realizes. _Okay, fine. I'll play along._

"Happy!" he shouts to his friend who's still surveying from high in the sky.

"Yeah, Natsu?"

"Did you see where that meteor landed?" he asks as Happy glides down in front of him.

"No," Happy sighs. "It was further north somewhere, but I saw the direction it was headed."

"You think you could help me find it, little buddy?" he asks, rubbing his hands together in excitement.

"Yeah! Let's go." Happy opens his big, feathery, white wings and grabs Natsu by the shoulders before lifting off into the sky.

* * *

Gina drags herself out of the lake water and rolls onto the rocks along the shoreline.

"Ouch," she whispers to herself. Hitting the water at that speed felt vaguely like hitting a concrete wall. Even worse, the lake water is obviously intermingled with the nymphs themselves, and her body burns everywhere the water magic touches her skin. It is _much_ worse than touching Gray.

"Do you think you could have been ANY more conspicuous?" the water beside her begins scolding.

" _I CAN'T RISK THEM SEEING ME IN MY HUMAN FORM, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO BE OUTRIGHT FOLLOWED,"_ she explains in Etheria. " _I ALSO CANNOT RISK THEM HEARING MY VOICE. THREE OF THE MEMBERS OF MY PARTY ARE DRAGON SLAYERS. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?"_

" _YES,"_ the unseen nymph responds in Etheria as well, " _WHICH ONES?"_

" _THE METAL MAGE, THE SMALL GIRL, AND MY SIRE,"_ she admits.

" _YOU WOULD RISK A DRAGON SLAYER AS A SIRE?!"_ the nymph exclaims in disapproval. " _FIRE NYMPHS ARE RECKLESS IMBECILES!"_

" _PLEASE. I NEED YOUR HELP,"_ Gina begs, " _IS THERE A MORE PRIVATE PLACE WE CAN TALK?"_

" _HOW DO I KNOW YOU CAN BE TRUSTED?"_ the nymph challenges.

" _AT THIS POINT, YOU HAVE LITTLE OTHER CHOICE,"_ Gina points out.

" _VERY WELL… COME INSIDE."_

The water recedes from the shoreline of the lake, exposing a dark stone passageway that leads beneath the water's surface. Gina flaps her wings a few times, to disburse the remaining lake water - and hopefully any water nymph tricks - before heading for the entrance. As soon as she is inside, the lake water rushes back into place, hiding the little stone passageway from view.

" _I WANT TO SEE MY ICE MAGE FIRST,"_ she orders.

" _VERY WELL,"_ a water nymph replies, appearing before her in its natural state. " _DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE BACK FIRST?"_

" _NO,"_ Gina replies in thanks, " _I WILL NOT TAKE HIM WITH ME TONIGHT, AS LONG AS I AM SATISFIED THAT HE IS NOT BEING HARMED. MY PARTY BELIEVES WE ARE SCHEDULED TO MEET WITH YOU TOMORROW."_

" _YES,"_ the water nymph smiles, " _WE… HEARD THE STORY YOU SPUN FOR YOUR SIRE. HE… TRULY DOES NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE? YOU'VE GOTTEN YOURSELF INTO QUITE A MESS IT SEEMS."_

" _IT IS MUCH WORSE THAN YOU MIGHT IMAGINE,"_ she admits, " _BUT I WILL ONLY EXPLAIN AFTER I HAVE SEEN HIM. WHAT SHOULD I CALL YOU, AND WHAT IS YOUR RANK?"_

" _MY NAME IS DAMLA ARETHUSA, AND I AM THE ELDEST REMAINING NYMPH IN OUR COLONY,"_ Damla explains. " _I WAS 157TH BORN, AND CURRENTLY LEAD US TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, BUT I HAVE BEEN LOSING CONTROL OF THE RANKS FOR SOME TIME NOW."_

They continue down dark stone passageways, lit only by magical blue lanterns which emit an eerie glow. They pass several dark rooms and Damla opens the next door, and Gina proceeds inside after only a moment of hesitation. After all, she is already trapped if they wish her to be. Gray is in front of her, lying half-naked on a big comfortable looking bed, and sound asleep.

" _I APOLOGIZE THAT THEY REMOVED HIS CLOTHES,"_ Dalma says sincerely, " _SEVERAL OF THE GIRLS ATTEMPTED TO SEDUCE HIM, BUT HE SAW THROUGH THEIR CHARM SPELLS RATHER EASILY. WE HAD TO PUT HIM BACK TO SLEEP."_

Gina hides a smile. She had assumed that Gray had removed his own clothes either in a fight or out of sheer natural habit. He seems otherwise unharmed.

" _WHY ARE THEY USING THEIR CHARM SPELLS THIS WAY, AND WHY THE ABDUCTIONS?"_ Gina asks. " _LUST DOES NOT AFFORD A NYMPH THE ENERGY NEEDED TO SURVIVE."_

" _THEY KNOW IT WILL NOT SUSTAIN THEM," Dalma replies. "BUT THEY HAVE GROWN DESPERATE. OUR QUEEN AND SIRE BOTH DIED IN THE NYMPH HUNT THAT DESTROYED OUR HOME. WE'D HAD A NEW QUEEN BORN THAT SAME YEAR, JUST 2 MONTHS PRIOR, BUT SHE WAS TAKEN BY THE HUNTERS ALONG WITH HALF OF OUR RANKS. WE WERE LEFT WITH NO MEANS TO SUPPORT A COLONY THIS SIZE WITHOUT COMPLETELY ABANDONING OUR HOME. SOME OF THE MEN HAVE RESPONDED WITH LUST ONLY, BUT SOME HAVE STAYED OUT OF GENUINE AFFECTION OR DESIRE TO HELP. EVEN THEY CANNOT LAST LONG HERE THOUGH. WE HAVE BEGUN TO TURN THEM LOOSE WHEN THEY SEEMED TO BE LOSING THE LAST OF THEIR STRENGTH."_

Gina hesitates in asking, afraid of whether she actually wants to know the answer. As Dalma leads her back out of the cell, and shuts the door behind them, she finally asks, " _HAVE YOU LOST ANY SISTERS YET?"_

" _OH, YES,"_ Dalma sighs, " _FOUR. IT IS DRIVING THE GIRLS' DESPERATION TO NEW LEVELS OF RECKLESSNESS. I NEVER IMAGINED THEY WOULD TAKE SOMEONE FROM A GROUP IN BROAD DAYLIGHT UNTIL THEY STOLE YOUR FRIEND."_

" _SO THAT WAS NOT YOUR DECISION?"_ Gina challenges as they wind their way down the narrow passageways again.

" _HEAVENS, NO,"_ Dalma chuckles. " _I WAS TOO BUSY FENDING OFF A NOSY FIRE QUEEN AND SIRE, TROMPING ABOUT IN MY HOME."_

" _WHY DID YOU ATTACK US?"_ Gina sincerely wonders. " _SURELY, YOU'VE HAD PEOPLE POKING AROUND BEFORE?"_

" _YOU SAID YOU WERE AFTER OUR LIBRARY,"_ Dalma explains. " _I FEARED THAT YOU WOULD TURN OVER INFORMATION ABOUT OUR HISTORY TO HUNTERS FOR MONEY. I DID NOT KNOW WHO YOU WERE."_

" _WHY HAVE YOU NOT SOUGHT ADOPTION INTO ANOTHER COLONY?"_ Gina asks, still trying to determine why they are in such a desperate state. Dalma just stares back at her blankly, as if she doesn't know how to answer. " _DO YOU HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH ANY COLONIES OUTSIDE OF YOUR OWN?"_

" _NO…"_ Dalma rubs at her arm nervously, " _MY OLDER SISTERS WERE ALL ENTRUSTED WITH THAT INFORMATION, BUT ONLY THOSE OF US WHO WERE STILL VERY YOUNG SURVIVED THE HUNT. MOTHER HID US IN THE WINE BARRELS BENEATH THE HOUSE. THE OLDER SISTERS GAVE THEMSELVES UP, SO THEY WOULD NOT KEEP SEARCHING. IF INFORMATION WAS NOT SAVED FROM THE FLAMES OF THE FIRE, WHICH CONSUMED MOST OF OUR LIBRARY, THEN WE SIMPLY HAVE BEEN EXISTING BY TRIAL AND ERROR. THAT WAS 16 YEARS AGO."_

" _GOOD GRIEF, HOW OLD ARE YOU?"_ Gina balks.

" _I JUST TURNED FORTY-FOUR LAST WEEK,"_ Dalma says with a very proud smile, and leads her into a larger sitting room with a table and chairs.

" _FORTY-FOUR?..."_ Gina feels almost faint, and takes a seat. " _HOW MANY OF YOU ARE THERE?"_

" _TWENTY-TWO. THE HUNTERS GOT THE INFANT QUEEN AND ONE OF MY YOUNGER SISTERS,"_ Dalma explains. " _THE REST OF US REMAINED HIDDEN. CELESTE DIED A YEAR AGO. LAPIS DIED SIX MONTHS LATER, AND THEN HELENE AND MYST BOTH PASSED THIS MONTH."_

It makes sense. Nymphs gestate for 6 months, so it is not unusual for a queen to have a new daughter once a year, sometimes even two during a year if the timing lands right.

" _I'M SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS,"_ Gina says, clutching her heart. " _HOW MANY OF YOU ARE ILL?"_

" _MOST OF US,"_ Dalma admits. " _WE FOUND A SMALL BOOK ON HEALING IN THE LIBRARY, BUT IT WAS WRITTEN FOR OUR SIRE, SO IT IS OF LITTLE USE TO US."_

" _DOES IT EXPLAIN WHAT IS HAPPENING TO YOU?"_ Gina wonders, hoping to learn more herself.

" _WHY DOES YOUR SIRE LET YOU SUFFER?"_ a different voice challenges from behind her, and Dalma sighs heavily. " _IS HE REALLY SUCH AN IDIOT THAT HE CAN'T HEAL YOU THROUGH SIMPLE INTERACTION?"_

Gina turns to see a new nymph approaching from behind her. This one is taller and leaner, and standing with her arms crossed in obvious disapproval.

" _BROOK, PLEASE DON'T INSULT OUR GUEST,"_ Dalma scolds.

" _DON'T ACT LIKE YOU DON'T SEE IT!"_ Brook screams back. " _LOOK AT HER! SHE IS JUST AS SICK AS THE REST OF US! SHE MAY BE A QUEEN, BUT THAT HOT-HEAD IS NO SIRE."_

" _YOU'RE RIGHT!"_ Gina shouts to be heard. " _HE WOULD BE A GOOD CHOICE, BUT HE IS NOT MY SIRE. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DECEPTION, BUT I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO STOP YOUR ADVANCE OTHERWISE."_

" _WHY HAVE YOU NOT GONE TO YOUR OWN SIRE TO HEAL YOU, THEN?"_ Dalma asks, and Gina feels nearly ill with sudden guilt.

" _IF I AM HONEST…"_ Gina says, swallowing hard. " _I DO NOT FEEL UP TO THE TASK I WAS BORN TO. I ONLY RECENTLY REALIZED I AM FADING, BUT I HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO… FIGHT THE PROCESS."_

" _YOU SELFISH BITCH!"_ Brook screams. " _YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE DOING!"_

" _SHUT UP BROOK!"_ Dalma suddenly snaps, and then points to Gina. " _YOU, FOLLOW ME."_

They proceed down several more passageways, and Gina can sense the furious nymph trailing behind her while Dalma leads the way. Eventually, they enter a very large room with water nymphs lying in various positions all over the room. Some of them have dark spots of black sludge floating through the water of their bodies. One of them is groaning endlessly, as another sits by her head.

" _WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEM?"_ Gina asks, realizing the question is foolish and trying again. " _WHAT IS THAT BLACKNESS?"_

" _BULINDA TOOK THE HIT FROM YOUR SIRE TODAY,"_ Dalma explains. " _WELL FROM THE FIRE MAGE, ANYWAY. SHE HAS END-STAGE ELEMENTAL POISONING. THE BLACKNESS IS SIMPLY OUR WATER MAGIC FAILING. WE ARE CONSUMED BY DARKNESS BEFORE DEATH IF WE DO NOT TAKE A HUMAN FORM."_

" _WHAT IS ELEMENTAL POISONING?"_ Gina asks, and then screams as Brook suddenly grabs her arm firmly and the magic burns Gina's skin like acid.

" _YOU SHOULD KNOW,"_ Brook mocks. " _IT'S THE REASON OUR WATER BURNS YOU. IF YOU HADN'T SHOWN UP HERE HALF-DEAD, YOU WOULDN'T FEEL A THING. BUT YOU'VE LET YOURSELF BECOME SO WEAK THAT THE OTHER ELEMENTAL MAGICS HAVE TURNED POISONOUS TO YOU. WITHOUT LOVE TO HEAL YOU, AND FIRE TO SOOTHE THE POISON, YOU'LL PROBABLY DIE BEFORE WE DO. THEN AGAIN, SOUNDS LIKE YOU DON'T CARE TOO MUCH ABOUT YOUR PEOPLE ANYWAY."_

" _IT'S NOT THE SAME THING!"_ Gina tries to defend herself, cradling her injured arm. " _I HAVE NO CHILDREN OF MY OWN. I HAVE NEVER FOUND A SUITABLE MATCH. NO ONE WILL SUFFER LIKE THIS WHEN I PASS."_

" _YOU HAVE NO RIGHT,"_ Dalma argues. " _YOUR BODY HOLDS THE SEEDS OF AN ENTIRE NEW GENERATION. HOW COULD YOU JUST DECIDE TO NEVER GIVE THEM LIFE?"_

Gina has no answer, and she begins to hate them for it. She cannot afford to falter in her decision now, when she is so close to being able to rest.

" _WHY IS THE FIRE MAGE NOT SUITABLE?"_ Dalma keeps pressing. " _HE PROTECTED YOU WITH HIS LIFE. HE IS STRONG. HE OBVIOUSLY CARES FOR YOU, AND HIS LUST WAS FLEETING BUT UNDENIABLE. I ADMIT, THE FACT THAT HE IS A DRAGON-SLAYER MAKES HIM QUESTIONABLE, BUT YOU SEEM TO TRUST HIM DESPITE THAT FLAW... AND YOUR INSTINCT WAS TO CLAIM HIM! IS HE NOT CAPABLE OF DEEP LOVE?"_

" _HE WOULD SUFFER,"_ Gina finally admits with a groan. " _I FEAR HIS LOVE IS TOO GREAT, AND I BELIEVE THAT WATCHING ALL OF THOSE HE LOVES DIE ONE AFTER ANOTHER WOULD BREAK HIM. I DON'T… I DON'T WANT TO ASK THAT OF HIM."_

Dalma smiles sadly. " _WOULDN'T IT BE FAIR TO ASK HIM, INSTEAD OF MAKING THE DECISION FOR HIM?"_

" _NO,"_ Gina argues. " _IT WOULD NOT. IF NATSU KNEW THE TRUTH, HE WOULD SACRIFICE HIS OWN HAPPINESS TO HELP ME. HE COULD FEEL OBLIGATED, AND THAT COULD LEAD TO BITTERNESS AND REGRET. I_ _ **WILL NOT**_ _LET HIM MAKE THAT MISTAKE. AND I DO NOT WISH TO TALK ABOUT IT ANYMORE! I CAME HERE TO HELP YOU, AND I BELIEVE I STILL CAN."_

" _HOW?"_ Brook asks with a sigh, as another water nymph wanders up and whispers something in her ear.

" _I THINK I CAN NEGOTIATE ASSISTANCE IN GETTING YOU CONNECTED TO AN ADOPTIVE COLONY, USING THE FAIRY TAIL GUILD,"_ she explains. " _I BELIEVE YOU CAN TRUST THEM. IT WILL REQUIRE SOME EXPLAINING,_ _BUT I THINK WE CAN MAKE IT WORK. YOU WILL HAVE TO ADHERE TO MY CONDITIONS, THOUGH."_

" _WHAT CONDITIONS?"_ Dalma asks.

" _YOU MUST NEVER REVEAL TO THEM THAT A NYMPH CAN TAKE A HUMAN FORM,"_ she explains. " _AND YOU CANNOT REVEAL - UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES - THAT I AM ANYTHING OTHER THAN HUMAN MYSELF. TO_ _ **ANY**_ _**OF THEM."**_

" _FINE,"_ Brook agrees. " _EXPLAIN QUICKLY. THAT NON-SIRE OF YOURS IS GETTING CLOSE, AND YOU NEED HIM TO HEAL THAT WOUND IF YOU'RE GOING TO LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO HELP US BEFORE YOU KICK THE BUCKET."_

" _HOW DOES HE HEAL ME?"_ Gina wonders. " _HE WON'T RECOGNIZE ME IN THIS FORM, MUCH LESS LOVE ME."_

" _THAT'S YOUR OWN STUPID FAULT,"_ Brook spits.

" _HE DOESN'T HAVE TO LOVE YOU RIGHT NOW,"_ Dalma clarifies. " _HIS FIRE SHOULD SOOTHE THE POISON JUST BY TOUCHING YOU. IT WON'T STRENGTHEN YOU, BUT IT SHOULD KEEP YOU FROM DYING ANY FASTER."_


	22. Chapter 22 - Playing With Fire

"Natsu, why the heck are we out here looking for that fallen star?" Happy asks while flying along beside him as they search the woods around the lake.

"Not sure buddy," Natsu admits, "but Loke sure seemed to think it was important."

"More important than finding Gray?"

"We're not gonna find Gray back there," Natsu hates to admit. "Wherever he is, they've washed his scent away completely."

"Shouldn't there be a big hole in the ground somewhere?" Happy continues, looking frustrated.

Natsu pauses and shushes his friend. Then he sniffs the air carefully. _There should be more than just a hole in the ground. There should be ash and soot. There should be burning embers somewhere…_ but all he can smell is trees and water; exactly like every other part of the forest.

"Stick close to me buddy," Natsu warns Happy. "Something doesn't smell right."

"Hey look!" Happy whispers, pointing out to a horizon of sorts a short distance away.

Natsu climbs up the small hill on his belly, being cautious of what may be on the other side. _The last thing he needs is to tip off some angry ice golem._ As he peeks over the top he sees what caught Happy's eye immediately. There is a lake, with a surface as smooth as glass. _That would explain a lot._

"Do you think it landed in there?" Happy asks, sticking close to his side in the grass now.

A sudden trickling sound of water catches Natsu's attention from behind, and he spins quickly to face any threat, but nothing is there.

"What is it?" Happy asks quietly.

"I'm not…"

WOOSH!

Natsu turns towards the sound coming straight from the center of the lake. Water cascades down upon him and Happy both as something fiery shoots into the sky like a rocket seemingly straight out of the lake water. Whatever it is, it's on fire!

"What is that?!" Happy screams.

"I don't know!" Natsu shouts with excitement, "Give me a lift little buddy! Let's find out!"

Happy grabs him by the shoulders and lifts off into the sky as fast as he can. It is difficult to see the object clearly. Happy is flying as quickly as he can, but it's like trying to catch a meteor. The object is gaining distance.

"If it's a spell, I need to find out where it's headed!" he shouts to Happy. "We have to…"

But then the object stumbles in mid-air. It corrects it course very quickly, in just the blink of an eye, but a spell does not generally correct course. It's currently heading away from the town, further and further into the heart of the forest.

"No wait! It's alive!" he screams at his friend.

"No way!" Happy shouts in disbelief. "How!? It's on fire!"

Natsu blinks again and again into the wind, trying to clear his vision. The object is pulsing with flame, and… _No wait. That's not pulsing._ He focuses in on the movement. The flames are forming the shape of giant wings; many sets of wings. The tips barely leave a detectable feather-like pattern behind in the heat of the air.

"I think it's a bird!" Natsu shouts to Happy. "We've got to catch it!"

"A WHAT?!" Happy cries. "Like a phoenix? I didn't think those were real!"

"Neither did I!" Natsu shouts, near giddy with excitement.

The giant bird falters again.

 _Maybe I can knock it down!_ "Fire dragon…" Natsu sucks in breath for his strongest distance attack, "ROAR!"

The column of fire shoots forward from his mouth and between his hands, catching up to the bird in the blink of an eye. The bird alters course dramatically, veering up into the sky and beginning to spin. Natsu is shocked to watch his attack get sucked up into a whirlwind around the bird, as it flaps its wings out amidst the flames. Just as they are about to catch up with it, it takes off again.

"I think you helped it!" Happy shouts with a growl. "It's made of fire, Natsu!"

"Yeah, I see that," Natsu sighs. _I can almost reach it._ "Get me alongside it!"

"Easier said than done!" Happy shouts, but puts forward another burst of energy.

"Yeah, like that!"

Natsu can almost reach the wings from the side. The rest of it is a complete blur of flame rocketing through the sky. He times it carefully, and as soon as the wing is outstretched, he tries to grab it. His hand passes straight through, but the bird immediately stumbles in the air, careening off to one side.

 _The wings have to be solid to fly, or it'll fall!_ Natsu realizes.

"Hey buddy!" Natsu yells. He has almost no time. The bird will pull ahead in moments.

"Yeah?!" Happy shouts with a worried tone.

"I'm gonna do something real dumb!"

"What?!"

"On the count of three… let go of me!"

"Okay!" Happy shouts, and Natsu appreciates his complete faith when time is so short.

Natsu taps Happy's paw once, twice, then three times.

"Fire Dragon Wing Attack!" Natsu shouts, using the momentum of the attack to fling himself onto the creature's back.

He lands just between its wings, and struggles to find a grip. It's much smaller than he is. The bird makes a startled sound, which sounds more like a person than a bird, and begins tumbling through the air. In less than three seconds, Natsu feels the creature turn to the consistency of pure flame, losing all it's solid state, and he passes right through its body before he begins hurtling towards the ground.

"NATSU!" he hears Happy scream from above him, but he's falling too fast.

 _SHIT!_ he thinks. _I'm gonna have to use my roar to slow down my impact!_

But just as he readies his breath, he's caught by the shoulders. He turns in surprise, expecting to see Happy, but realizes the bird has snatched him up instead. The bird doesn't seem very capable of handling his weight, however, and struggles to maintain altitude.

"Pull up!" he screams at it, watching the oncoming trees in panic, but it's too late.

BOOM!

A tree branch explodes as they impact it with their combined weight. Natsu feels his body slam into branches and tree trunks again and again, too many and too fast to count. He screams, realizing they are heading for a large rock formation.

"Flame elbow!" he shouts, using the force to spin their bodies in mid-air, and flipping his own back towards the impact. He shifts his body into partial Dragon Force state, hardening the skin of his back to the strength of dragon scales, and attempts to curl his body around the creature before impact.

CRACK!

When they impact the rocks, the pain is blinding and Natsu loses his hold on the creature. They both tumble down the rock face and land about 15 feet apart in the dirt. Natsu struggles to lift his face enough to see, and the bird doesn't appear to be moving. It seems to be flickering constantly between a solid and pure flame state. All he can see is its wings, covering its entire body haphazardly.

"Are you crazy?!" Happy's voice screams, coming up behind him fast.

"Shhhhh!" he waves down his friend, trying to determine if the creature is playing dead.

"What is it?" Happy wonders aloud, panting hard and landing beside him as Natsu struggles to get up onto his knees.

"Damn that hurt," Natsu mumbles instead, shaking off the pain. He gets to his feet, and makes his way towards it.

"Did you kill it?" Happy asks in a worried tone.

"Uhhh…." Natsu swallows hard. "I hope not."

After all, he'd only wanted to catch the stupid thing so he could report back to Loke. He didn't mean to really hurt it, and he sure as hell hadn't expected it to try and catch him after he'd started falling.

"It has wings like mine kinda…" Happy mumbles.

Sure enough, standing just above it now he could see the truth in that. It is very large for an animal; nearly the size of a human. Its upper set of wings are so large, they cover the entirety of its body. But there seems to be three sets of wing altogether! The second set are sprawled backwards, and one looks like it might be broken. A third miniature set of wings are tucked in close to its body. All three sets of wings appear to be made out of flames formed into the shape of great feathers.

Then Natsu realizes something disturbing.

"What the hell…" he mumbles, drawing the air in through his nose carefully. "I can't smell it."

"How can you not smell it?!" Happy shouts in disbelief. "Everything here smells like smoke now!"

"Everything else does," he explains. "I can smell the trees burning where we hit them, and the grass burning where it's lying, but… the bird doesn't smell like anything at all. If I couldn't see it, I would swear it wasn't even there. Hey birdy birdy! Wake up! Are you okay?!"

The creature doesn't move. Natsu reaches for the large wing carefully, dreading that some hideous face will pop out and snap its jaws at him. He draws the wing back, and then loses his breath entirely.

"Holy crap!" Happy screams, lifting into the sky again in distress. "It's not a bird! It's a lady!"

Natsu can't breathe, and he feels a chill sweep through his spine as he breaks out in a cold sweat. He swallows hard, and his eyes begin to burn as he can't even bring himself to blink. It's body… _her_ body… can't seem to maintain it's form very well, but it is definitely a woman. At least, it looks like a woman. It looks like a fire-based version of Juvia when in her pure water state.

"O-oh God…" he chokes, reaching out for her carefully, and lifting her frail form into his lap as he tucks the wings as carefully as he can behind her back. _Oh my God, I've killed her._ He fights back the urge to scream, and begins rubbing gently at her arms trying to wake her.

She looks to be a similar height to Gina, and a similar figure too. The length of her legs is accentuated by the swoop of her beautiful wings. She's curvy and lean. Her primary wings, the large ones, are seated just at the back of her shoulder blades; with the second set extending from her spine at the base of her ribs, and the third tiny set is nestled into the small of her beautifully swayed back.

She's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen, and he's killed her by accident!

"Come on lady," he pleads. "Wake up. Open your eyes. Please!"

He assumes she has eyes. There's no form to her face at all, as it appears to be maintaining the least solid state of her whole body. There also appears to be darkening spots swirling through the flames in her body, and it sets his nerves even more on edge. He cannot bear watching something so beautiful die. He doesn't know how to help.

"Natsu," Happy says in a trembling voice. "She seemed to absorb your fire magic before..."

"You're right, buddy," he says, and ignites the entire surface of his body in flames, curling his arms around her upper body and cradling her lifeless form to his chest. Then he starts praying, pleading and screaming inside his head for something to work.

After a few minutes, he feels her twitch. His head snaps up, and he feels undiluted relief wash over him. The dark swirls within her body seem to be dissipating.

"That's right," he coaxes, stroking his hand gently down the edges of her primary set of wings. "Come on. Open your eyes."

When she does, his breath catches again. They look like black glowing coals, staring straight into his soul. She blinks several times, and her eyes appear confused.

"I am Soooooo sorry," he says with a pained expression. "I tried to protect you from the rocks, but I had no idea you were a chick, and… well you look like a chick. I thought you were a bird, and…"

Her eyes suddenly fly open wide and she tries to jerk away from his grip, but he fights to keep a hold of her. Too easily, however, her body turns completely to flame and she slips right through his arms.

"Wait! Please!" he shouts, reaching for her.

* * *

Gina runs a few steps forward, and tries to launch herself into the air again. The second that she extends her wings, pain shoots through her entire left side and she let out a high-pitched squeak before collapsing onto the ground.

"I said wait!" Natsu continues to shout behind her. "Your wing looks broken!"

 _Broken?_ Gina thinks in panic. _Shit! How the hell am I going to get out of this?!_

She can hear Natsu coming towards her, so she turns to face him and holds her hands up in a defensive posture. She is terrified that he will recognize her. As a fire wielder, his eyes are more accustomed to flames than most, and he will be able to perceive more when she is not moving. She kept her face without form when she phase shifted for that very reason.

"Hey, hey," he says, raising his hands as a sign of surrender. "I don't want to hurt you. Okay? Geez… I'm sorry I jumped on your back, it just… seemed like a good idea at the time. I had no idea you were a chick!"

Gina just stares back at him. She's not sure what to do. _How much do I let him understand? Brook said he could help me, and… I know his attack helped reduce the sting of the lake water..._ But her body still stings, and her arm is the worst of all. _As soon as I look like myself again he won't let me get near him. Not when he still believes he's making me sick._ The irony that it is in fact the exact opposite does not escape her, but it is too late to do anything about that now.

Natsu kneels down in front of her, just close enough that Gina wonders if he is going to try and reach out and grab her. She shifts her weight nervously again.

"What can I do to help?" Natsu asks. "I'd make a splint, but… I think it would just burn up."

Gina blinks back at him several times. _I have no idea._ She needs her father, but she will not go to him. He would never let her leave home again if he saw her in her current state. He would smother her and coddle her, and foil her attempt at fading.

"Shit…" Natsu mumbles, almost to himself. "I don't think she understands a word I'm saying."

"She sure doesn't seem to," Happy adds from above them.

"I'm gonna kick Loke's ass," Natsu grumbles.

 _Loke?_ Gina wonders. _Who the hell is Loke?_ She cradles her injured arm absentmindedly while searching back through her memory.

"Hey look," Happy comments. "Her arm is still funny colored."

Gina tries very hard not to react to his words, and just continues staring at the ground.

"Yeah," Natsu mumbles. "She's acting like it hurts. I wonder if fire would help. Hey you," he says, waving to get her attention. He lights up his hands and holds them out to her. "Would this help?"

Gina inches towards him cautiously.

"That's right, beautiful," Natsu breathes, "I'm not gonna hurt you."

Gina is ashamed to admit that she likes the idea that he thinks her natural state is beautiful. Most men would find it flatly terrifying. She takes hold of his hand, and slowly places it against her injured arm. The relief is immediate, and she sighs in thanks.

"Hey, I think it's working," Natsu says with excitement to Happy. He places his other hand around the other side of her arm, and turns up the heat. "Whoa! Look at that! Whatever that black stuff is, it's disappearing."

 _Thank the heavens…_ Gina thinks to herself. _Now what the hell do I do about my wing?_ She attempts to stretch it out again, but immediately stops. She can tell that it's form is bent at an odd angle, similar to a human bone. She knows how to phase shift, but not how to straighten it. Before she even attempts anything, she decides to make sure the effect of the poisoning is no longer affecting any part of her body. She crawls up in Natsu's lap as quickly as she can.

"Uhhhh…." he chokes, looking down at her. "Hi."

"What's she doing?" Happy asks with a laugh.

"I don't know," Natsu spits with a blush.

Gina grabs his hand, still flaming, and holds it up in front of him. He just blinks back at her. Frustrated, she begins to reach her hands into the inside of his shirt. She's momentarily distracted by the feeling of his skin beneath her flames. This would be pushing her luck with even the most powerful fire wizard. Most of them protect themselves from their own flames, and that of others, through some form of protection spell or other magic. Which is exactly why most fire wizards can still be defeated and even injured by fire magic.

But Natsu seems completely immune. Everywhere her hands glide, his skin turns instantly to the consistency of scales. It doesn't seem possible that he could be doing it consciously. _This must be a strength of his dragon slayer magic,_ she muses. She briefly wonders just how much heat he could really handle. _Could he actually make love to a nymph in her natural state?_ The very thought seems absurd. Water and tree nymphs have it easy. They do not have to be so careful with their Sires.

"Oh," Natsu mumbles to Happy. "She's looking at my skin, I think. I bet she's never met someone like me before. Hey lady… you won't burn me. It's not possible. My dad was a dragon."

 _How do I do this…?_ Gina wonders. She hastily pops the buttons on Natsu's shirt open, and pushes it off of his shoulders.

"Whoa… Uhhhh…" he protests.

She then wraps her arms around him, still listening carefully for him to cry out in pain, and presses her body tightly against his chest. Happy starts laughing from back behind them, and Natsu seems speechless. She fights a smile as she realizes he is also suddenly very aroused. She can feel the fire magic beneath his skin strongly, and knows it would be effective against the poison like this, but she doesn't want to take that long. She leans back to grab his hand again, now extinguished, and hold it up in front of his face.

"What?" he asks. "I don't know what you want, lady."

She shakes his hand in his face, and then points to her own body. He raises an eyebrow in complete confusion, and she feels lust pour from him a little stronger. Then she holds her own hand up next to his.

"Oh!" he suddenly laughs with a blush. He lights his hand on fire, and she claps to confirm her approval.

Then she places his hand against her stomach, and he swallows hard. She can feel the slightest trace of sting seep from her skin immediately. She leans her body fully against him once again, and carefully guides his hand around to her back as she does. Then she curls her arms around his neck. His stupid scarf is in the way, but she knows how important it is to him, so she slips it off to pool right next to him. He sounds like he's going to object when she tucks her face into the crook of his neck and begins to run her hands along the skin of his back the way a lover would do. He freezes instead.

"Ummm… Happy," Natsu squeaks out quietly, "I think you need to go get Loke."

"Why?" Happy laughs. "So you can make out with your new little girlfriend?"

"Shut up!" Natsu hisses. "He sent us out here to find this chick. I need to know what the hell I'm dealing with, and I need some backup… quick."

 _Shit!_ Gina thinks. _I'm running out of time._ She's frustrated that he can't seem to pick up on what she wants, and she has to get out of here before any of the others figure out where they've gone. She taps his shoulder, backs up to look him in the eyes, and then presses in and rubs his shoulders again.

"Ohhh…" Natsu mumbles. He finally gets it, and sets his entire body ablaze.

Gina claps again, and squeezes him tightly, beginning to rub as much of her upper body against him as she can.

"Holy dragons…" Natsu groans, as another wave of lust pours from him, but he complies beautifully. He begins running his hands along her back, her legs and her upper arms. Everywhere his touch traces, the remaining sting vanishes from her blood instantly.

"Oh geez, Natsu…" Happy laughs. "You need backup alright."

"Just go get someone…" Natsu chokes, and Gina is desperate to reverse his orders. "...anyone. Go get…" She takes a huge risk and let's her lips take shape enough to kiss him, and silence him.

* * *

"On my way!" Happy shouts, but Natsu can't even get his brain to function.

Whoever this mystery woman is, she sure as hell isn't shy. He didn't even realize she _had_ lips before she'd suddenly kissed him. He'd been shocked into stillness, and felt completely out of his depth. Until today, he's kissed one person in his entire life. It had been Lucy, like a year ago, and it had been nothing like this. It had been short and boring. Gina had been better, but he hadn't kissed her long enough to really tell. This is… unbelievable.

The heat from her lips is almost enough to distract him from the incredible heat of her body. He suspects somewhere in the back of his mind that this is somehow helping with whatever that black stuff is, but he's damned if he knows how. She tips her head to the side, and suddenly he can feel her push past his lips and he can taste her on his tongue. He's flat out embarrassed by the groan he can't prevent from escaping at the taste of her. It's the purest, most delicious fire he's ever tasted.

 _Don't drink it, don't drink it, don't drink it!_ He chants inside his head. After all, the woman is literally made of fire, so the fire is undoubtedly her life force. _But holy dragons she tastes so good!_

He trembles slightly beneath the realization that he wants to lie her down so he can see if her entire body tastes this good. Instead, he pulls back from her kiss and tries desperately to clear his head.

"Oh God," he chokes in whisper. "Come on. Pull it together."

The fire chick decides now to turn around on his lap, and press her wings to his chest. For a second he's thankful, but then he can feel her wiggle in his lap and he hisses in distress and delight; gripping her firmly by the hips to halt her movement. She responds by gripping his hands with her own and beginning to pull them down the surface of her legs.

"Oh, right, right," he nearly laughs. "You want me to…" he can't even bring himself to finish his sentence. _Rub my hands all over your gorgeous body? Happy to be of service lady!_ He's distracted as she suddenly flaps her big wings in his face, but then his hands keep moving, down to her little ankles. _How the hell did I get myself into this mess?_

She suddenly grabs his hand again and places it against her back, right beside her broken wing. She flaps them again briefly, and he can tell it causes her pain.

"Oh, shit," he mumbles, having no idea what to do.

She turns around on his lap again, and he bites his lip against a groan of pleasure. Then she takes his arm and holds it up. She puts her hands around it at the top and glides them down, applying gentle pressure all the way to his wrist. It's the first thing she's done that seems slightly non-sexual, and he just stares back at her confused. Then she repeats the motion a second and third time, and points to her back briefly flapping her wings.

"Oh, you… you want me to do that to your wing?" he asks, pointing to it.

She seems to nod, before spinning back around. He grips her hips again without thinking it through, willing her movements not to embarrass him further. _Holy crap, the guys are gonna show up and I'm not gonna be able to walk!_

He grips her wing in his hands carefully, hoping that she knows what she's doing and that somehow this will help. Then suddenly, he's completely absorbed by the curve of her beautiful spine. It's all he can do not to lean down and kiss it, but her hands serve as a gentle reminder on his hips to keep his hands moving. He feels the wing straighten only slightly beneath his touch, and it is surprisingly hard to accomplish because her wing keeps turning to a nearly intangible flame state before shifting back to solid. _But her back is fucking gorgeous!_

"You're so damn sexy," he mutters, feeling slightly disoriented.

She flaps her wings slightly, and he remembers his task, drowning in how beautiful she is and trying to keep his mind functioning enough to keep up the movement on her wing as it slowly shifts back to mirror it's mate on her other side. He can't take the draw of her beautiful neck anymore, and moves in to kiss it when he hears her whimper slightly. He pulls back in surprise.

"Oh, geez, baby, I'm sorry, I…" and then his brain makes the connection he's been missing. _She's using a charm spell on me! Why you little…_ "What's your deal, lady?!" he says, suddenly aggravated, and even more aggravated that he can't actually talk to her. "You're gonna use charm spells on me now? You don't think it's already hard enough not to…"

She suddenly leaps off of his lap and turns to face him, with her hands in a defensive posture again. His tone must have frightened her, and he grits his teeth against the potent combination of frustration and lust.

"I already told you I'm not gonna hurt you," he gripes, "but you didn't need to…"

 _Wait!_ His brain almost hurts as his thoughts take a turn. He remembers the flyer. _Missing men. Long-term exposure to charm spells. I'll be damned... These men aren't being kidnapped! They're being seduced!_

"What _are_ you?" he breathes in wonder, but she just blinks back at him, unmoving.

 _There's no way this chick isn't connected to the missing men. Most of them would probably sign up to be taken away! But what does she want with them? Is she the only one? No way! She couldn't have gotten the drop on Gray and the others… unless… unless she can take the form of multiple elements! Maybe she could tell I was a fire wizard from the beginning! Maybe…_

A sound catches his ear in the distance, and he turns towards it. It's the sound of heavy footfall. He would guess Gajeel's. It's a good distance away still, but coming up fast.

 _I need to keep her busy,_ he thinks, swallowing hard. _I need to keep her here until the guys can help me._

"Hey beautiful," he says, and hates the nervous tremor in his voice. "Why don't we try that again? Huh?" He holds out his arms to her, and beckons her. "I'm sorry I got mad. That's probably natural for you, huh? Come on. I'm not gonna hurt ya."

This time he can feel the strength of the charm spell hit him like a tidal wave, but it has no effect because he was expecting it. She crawls back to him slowly, and he is distracted by the beauty of her form even without the stupid spell. For her to even use it seems dumb, because it's not the least bit needed. He keeps encouraging her with his voice and a smile, and she hesitantly crawls right back up into his lap.

 _There we go…_ he thinks, cautiously, _I can do this. Just… keep her distracted._

He can hear Gajeel's footfalls getting closer, and now he can hear additional ones, but they're still a long way off. Nervously, he leans in close to her face, hoping she'll take charge like she did before. Sure enough, in a matter of seconds she closes the distance and he can feel her fire on his lips and tongue again. Her hands wind deliciously into his hair, and he lets out another groan at the taste of her.

She presses her hands against his shoulders, and he complies by lying down on his back. Her body presses everywhere against his, and he slides his hands along her sides, relishing the feel of her heat. Her kiss has grown aggressive, and he has just a brief moment of worry about how far this will get before Gajeel gets here. Then without warning, he feels something sharp prick the skin of his arm, and his world goes black.


	23. Chapter 23 - Bound

Gajeel walks cautiously into the burned-out small clearing of forest beneath the bluff's edge. Salamander is lying right where Happy had said he would be.

 _Well… he said he'd be in the clearing._ He hadn't said that Salamander would be sleeping like a baby half-naked, with a shamefully impressive tent in his pants. _Add that to the list of things I did NOT need to know about this clown. Geez..._

Happy had flown right up to Gajeel in the forest, laughing and shouting some nonsense about Natsu needing to be saved from some sex-crazed fire woman. Gajeel had wandered a long way North from the main group before that; trying to find any sign of Gray. All he knew was he didn't need another person to go missing right now. So, he got directions from Happy, ordered him to go get the rest of the group, and tell them to meet him here. He'd half been expecting Natsu to be long gone by the time he reached it; spirited away with no clues. But here he is, flat out unconscious and horny as a goat.

 _Well… I suppose a woman made of fire would be a bit much for the guy,_ he muses.

He sniffs the air, and everything smells disgustingly like smoke and ash. He can smell the scorched ground, and see it burned all around where Natsu is lying. He can smell the burnt sap in the trees.

 _Wait a minute…_ he registers in surprise. _I can't smell Natsu!_ It's as if his scent has been wiped away completely, but he's still lying there. _What the hell's going on? I should still be able to smell Gina ON Natsu! There's no way his scent should be gone!_

"Hey, flame brain," he says, wandering over to nudge Natsu's side with his boot, "wake up."

Natsu doesn't respond in the slightest.

"Salamander!" he shouts, putting more force behind his boot. "I said WAKE UP!"

Natsu bolts upright from his sleep, panting hard and looking completely confused. He keeps grasping his hands in the air in front of him, like he's trying to grab a hold of something.

"Wha…" he slurs, blinking his eyes again and again. "Where'd she go?"

"You tell me, idiot," Gajeel grumbles. "You know you're supposed to have sex BEFORE you fall asleep, right?"

"Shut up!" Natsu snaps, jumping to his feet and turning away, obviously embarrassed. "You have no idea what I was dealing with!"

"Sure don't…" Gajeel chuckles, squinting at the blood trickling down Natsu's left upper arm. "Probably not my style though. Hey, what happened to your arm?"

"Huh?" Natsu asks, turning to look down at it. "Dammit! That must be how she knocked me out!"

"You didn't see her do it?" Gajeel asks, frustrated that Natsu let some woman get the drop on him.

"Of course not! She was…" suddenly Natsu blushes and shuts up.

"Come on man," Gajeel sighs. "You want to explain it to me, or to the girls?"

Natsu swallows hard, and seems to be deciding. Suddenly, Loke pops out of thin air next to Natsu.

"Hey guys, Lucy and the others are on their way. I…" Loke pauses, taking note of Natsu's appearance for the first time. The poor kid looks a lot like some woman took him right to the edge of a really good time, and just left him there. "Whoa, man."

"This is all your fault!" Natsu suddenly screams at Loke. "You knew what she was when you sent me out here, didn't you?!"

Loke laughs, throwing his head back. "I had a hunch," he says with an evil grin.

"Then why the hell did you send him out here alone?!" Gajeel spits.

"I didn't," Loke says, looking offended. "Happy was with him. Besides, I didn't honestly think she would jump you man. My bad."

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Natsu roars, looking equally offended.

"Both of you just shut up!" Gajeel shouts. "Look Salamander, you're pressed for time, so you'd better explain what happened before the girls get here, or I'm not even gonna bother helping you gloss over the details."

"Awww, man...," Natsu whines.

Then he spins a very sultry story about his interactions with the woman before apparently feeling a pain in his arm and waking up to Gajeel screaming at him. Gajeel is chuckling, despite his best attempt not to, just watching the poor kid try to explain and relay details whose importance or relevance he has no way of knowing or not knowing.

"If you had told me it was a chick, I wouldn't have tried to jump on her back dammit!" Natsu shouts at Loke.

"Well, excuse me for not expecting you to try and knock her out of the sky," Loke says with a serious expression.

Gajeel picks up on Loke's sour mood. "What's got you upset?" he asks. "You should be laughing at this shit."

"She was hurt," Loke says with a glare. "That's not good."

Natsu looks ashamed and angry, glaring right back at Loke. "Do you think what I did after that helped at all?"

"I have no idea," Loke replies with a heavy sigh. "It must have if she spent so much time trying to get you to do it, but I don't know enough about it to be sure."

"What the hell are we dealing with here?" Gajeel asks.

"I… can't tell you," Loke says with a pained expression.

"You wanna run that by me again, kitty cat?" Gajeel threatens. "Because last I checked we've got one man missing already from this shit, and we nearly lost a second. We need to know what we're dealing with! And you sure as hell seem to know!"

"I'm sorry," he sighs, "I cannot say any more about it."

Then, in a blink, Loke disappears.

"What the HELL?!" Natsu and Gajeel both roar at the empty air.

Natsu punches a nearby tree, and Gajeel kicks a rock halfway to the moon.

"What the hell are we supposed to do now?!" Natsu shouts.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?!" Gajeel roars back. "I've been out there lookin' for that ice princess, for…"

"Gina..." Natsu mumbles and his expression is suddenly devastated. He sinks to his knees in the dirt, and grabs his head in his hands, "Oh, shit. What are we gonna do about Gina?"

Gajeel feels mildly guilty for reminding him about her at all. He knows the guy is crazy about her, but he seemed to like this mystery woman a lot too. Of course, for all he knew the mystery woman intended to kill him, or kidnap him, or force him into sex slavery, or God knows what. _Scratch that. Loke knows what. The bastard._

"Hey guys," Lucy's voice comes up over the ridge, and she sounds surprisingly guilty. "Is everything okay here?"

"No," Gajeel spits as the rest of the crew piles in behind her. "It's not okay. Your little kitty cat knows what we're dealing with, but he skipped out without telling us. But I'm guessing from the sound of your voice, you already know that."

"Yeah," she says rubbing her arm. "He told me it's because of another contract he's bound to. They all are. I didn't even know that was possible. Whatever this is… it's big. He's not allowed to explain anything to me unless I am in immediate danger from one of them, and even then, he can't go into detail."

"One of them?" Natsu mumbles, looking up. "So I was right. She's not the only one?"

"I don't think so," Lucy mumbles. "But he wouldn't even say that much for sure."

"Look, Blondie," Gajeel spits in frustration. "This is a hell of a time for that clown to…"

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT?!" Lucy screams, and Gajeel is surprised to see her burst into tears. "YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THIS IS SERIOUS?! THOSE ICE THINGS HAVE GRAY! GINA IS SICK! SHE NEEDS HIS HELP! WE NEED HIS HELP! IF LOKE COULD TELL ME ANYTHING HE WOULD!"

 _Damn,_ Gajeel thinks, feeling rotten.

"Hey, hey!" Natsu says, jumping up to comfort her, like always. He wraps his arms around her shoulders and hushes her as she cries. "We're just frustrated Lucy, but I know he would too. Don't cry. We're gonna find him. Gina's… she's gonna be okay," he chokes on the words, "You'll see. We'll talk to those big ugly things tomorrow, just like we planned, and we'll make them give Gray back, alright? It's gonna be okay."

"How do you even know that?" Lucy cries.

"Trust me," Natsu says with an embarrassed chuckle. "Whatever these things are… I don't think they really mean any harm. I think they're just… really… weird."

"You'd better explain what happened," Erza's authoritative tone cuts in, as she steps up and places a hand on Natsu's shoulder. "We all need to know what's going on as much as we can before tomorrow."

Natsu looks completely panicked.

"You know what," Gajeel jumps in to rescue the chump, handing him his forgotten shirt and scarf. "He just explained the whole thing to me and Loke. I think it would be best for him to head back and check on Gina. I can fill you in." He gives Levy a subtle wink, and she knows right away what he's getting at.

"I think that's a great idea," Levy says brightly, "Go on and head back, Natsu. You'll make better time than we will. The rest of us can keep our eyes out for clues as Gajeel explains everything on the way back."

"Uhhh… sure thing," Natsu says, before bolting off into the woods.

* * *

Gina leaps lithely over the windowsill into the room they are all sharing, hidden beneath the black robe Ming left in the woods for her.

"Ming!" she whispers. "Where are you?"

Ming pops his little furry head up out of her blanket and skitters over to her feet.

"Undo the spell!" she orders, "We don't have much time!"

It wasn't possible to return home the way she had left. Natsu would be looking for a woman made of fire now, and she would have stuck out like a sore thumb. So instead… she had run through the woods with a false image of clothes over her human form and stuck out like a sore thumb anyway; pleading with fate that she would not be seen along the way. Getting the spell undone was essential before any of them returned, or the lack of scent would give her away. Ming skitters quickly across her body, releasing the modified scent she's been using since arriving at Fairy Tail.

"Wow," a man's voice suddenly calls from behind her, "It's been a really long time."

Gina lets out an involuntary scream, flailing backwards and pulling her robe tightly around her.

"Whoa, whoa!" the young man says with a grin, "Aegina, it's me. Leo."

"Leo…" Gina says, searching her brain for anything that rings a bell. He looks familiar, but she can't remember why. "How do you know who I am?"

"Well, I haven't seen you since you were around 10 years old," Leo laughs, "so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you don't remember me."

 _Ten years old?!_ Gina thinks in shock. _He must be mistaken. Unless…_ "You're Leo the Lion!" Gina breathes in mild disbelief.

"The very same," he smiles, "Although the members of Fairy Tail know me by the name Loke as well."

"You?!" Gina says, suddenly enraged. "How dare you! You sent Natsu to come find me!"

"Yes, and if you keep shouting, he's going to hear you pretty soon," Leo warns.

"You are bound under strict contract that forbids…" she screeches in whisper.

"Don't quote the law to me," he says, standing straighter. "I was there when it was signed by the Celestial King himself. I didn't tell Natsu what you are, or even that it was you. I simply sent him to investigate. I admit, I didn't expect him to injure you, and I really am sorry about that. But I believe you have a lot more explaining to do than I do. Just what on Earthland is going on Aegina?"

Gina's blood runs cold at his question. She cannot risk him running to her father.

"I am… seeking a Sire," she says with a tremor she wishes she could hide. "I have been for many years."

"That makes sense, I guess," Leo says skeptically, "but I'm surprised that your Dad lets you do so on your own. You are his most prized daughter. His new queen. Axis is paranoid and overprotective on his best day."

"We…" she sighs. "He chose badly for my last suitor. He… The man hurt me. Axis killed him. I was angry. I demanded to be allowed to search on my own, to not be subjected to any more suitors. He couldn't bring himself to deny me. I have actually seen very little of my father since that time."

"Natsu seems to think you're sick," Leo challenges, looking sympathetic, "in both versions, even though I don't think he has put the two together in his mind. Is he right?"

"Does it matter?" she says, turning away from him.

"Of course it does," Leo says, with shock in his tone. "If you…" he stops short, and suddenly disappears.

Within a few seconds, Gina can hear footsteps running down the hallway towards their room. She dives onto her own sleeping mat haphazardly, and attempts to look like she's been sleeping. Ming responds quickly too; curling up against her chest on the floor. The footsteps stop just outside the room, and someone seems to be completely out of breath on the other side. They manage to slow their breathing down before they enter the room.

"Gina?" Natsu's voice calls in whisper as the door slides open. "Gina where… Oh man. She's not in the tub anymore. Gina!"

Gina hates hearing the panic in his voice, but fights to appear asleep a few moments longer. He rushes over and kneels beside her.

"Hey, little buddy, is she…" Natsu says, obviously talking to Ming, and Gina pretends to begin waking up too. She slowly opens her eyes and looks up at him, and his face is twisted with worry. "Natsu? What's wrong?" she asks.

"Why aren't you in the tub?!" he asks, looking like he desperately wants to reach for her, but won't. "Your fever. You're gonna…"

"No, Natsu," she says, reaching towards his face to comfort him without thinking it through first.

"No, don't!" he says, flipping backwards in panic. "Don't touch me! You'll get sick again."

Her heart hurts.

"Natsu, I'm feeling a lot better," she says, trying to smile to reassure him, but he looks far from convinced. "I got out of the tub because my fever had settled down. I don't need to be in there anymore."

"You can't risk it rising again," he objects, looking frustrated. "We can't find Gray. You're gonna have to hold out until we can talk to those stupid ice things tomorrow, so you shouldn't…"

"Natsu," she interrupts him, sitting upright and putting more authority into her tone. "I'm going to be alright. I need you to trust me on this. We will go talk to the golems tomorrow, just like we planned. It's a good thing I stayed behind, so I could rest."

"You sure?" he asks, looking over her again and again. She reaches for his hand, but he pulls away again.

"Do I need to go alone tomorrow?" she asks with a frustrated sigh.

"Not a chance," Natsu huffs, looking mildly angry.

"You're not gonna be able to go with me and _not_ touch me the entire time," Gina argues. "Wasn't that the whole point? They won't buy it."

"I…" Natsu seems to wrestle with himself. "I'll lay eyes on Gray first. You have to make them let us see him before anything else."

"I'll try," she promises.

Natsu's head snaps up, and he glances towards the front of the building. Gina assumes he must hear the rest of the group returning, like she could tell he'd heard someone coming in the forest. She'd been surprised that he had called her back onto his lap on his own, until she realized he was trying to distract her. Fortunately for her, he'd been the one perfectly distracted by their brief moment of false intimacy; just long enough for her to make her escape.

"What is it?" she asks anyway.

"Oh, it sounds like everyone else is back," he says, turning back to her and looking relieved.

"Can I go back to sleep now?" Gina asks with a smile.

"Oh… yeah, sure," Natsu says with a blush. "I'll let them know how you're doing."

Natsu leaves the room quietly, and in an instant Leo appears again at the foot of her sleeping mat. He has a fierce glare on his face, and it genuinely frightens her. She's not sure how to keep him quiet, and keep him from ruining everything.

"You have less than 2 minutes to explain," he says in a near growl.

"How does it even have anything to do with you?" she whispers.

"Natsu is my friend, Gina," Leo spits. "So are Lucy, Gray, Erza and the others. You are lying to them, and I don't understand why."

"Oh please," she nearly chokes. "I _have_ to lie, Leo. You know that better than anyone."

"Not about being sick," Leo challenges. "Natsu can heal you, can't he? You sure made him think he could in the forest. Are you messing with his head? Why in the heavens does he think he's making you sick?"

"It's a long story, and I don't have time right now," she whispers. "Please, Leo. Just stick to the terms of the contract. You know what the consequences are if you reveal me. I have an additional contract with Makarov, too, which binds all past and current members of Fairy Tail. I'm guessing you fall under those terms too, correct?"

"What are you talking about?" Leo asks, suddenly looking confused again.

"Just take it," she says, shoving the small magical lipstick case into his hand which actually conceals the 'Fairy Tail' version of her agreement with Makarov. "Read it, and then ask your questions later."

"Tomorrow," he insists.

"After we finish the mission," she counters.

"Fine."

* * *

"How much do you know about our little problem?" Makarov asks, watching Porlyusica flip through one of her ancient books within the large tree she calls her home.

Porlyusica is one of Makarov's oldest friends. She has bright pink hair that she wears in a high bun atop her head, fixed with golden chopsticks with crescent moon shaped tips, and her bangs hang long and loose in front to frame her face. Her face shows her age, but not as much as her muddied red-brown eyes and matching scowl. She is tall and lean, with a small birthmark just to the left of her mouth on her chin. She wears a green blouse with a black tie around the collar, a maroon long skirt, and a bright red cape. The cape has a large half-cowl around her head, pointed towards the sky, which is adorned with dragons teeth across the top. It also has white tile work down the sides of the front opening.

"Not as much as I would like," the old woman grumbles. "The situation you've described is very serious. The nymphs mental distress could cause the loss of much more than her young life."

Suddenly, a flash of light appears in the room, and Makarov is stunned to see the celestial spirit Capricorn standing in the middle of it. Capricorn appears as the perfect hybrid between goat and man. He stands and speaks like a human male, and even wears a suit. However, his skin is like the hide of a goat, he has a long tail, and his face resembles the animal strongly. He has two long pointed ears atop his head with large curled horns resting beneath them on each side of his face, and he has a fondness for wearing sunglasses.

"What is the meaning of this?" Makarov demands. "Lucy and the others cannot be back already, can they?"

"No, Master Makarov," Capricorn says with a bow. "I apologize if my timing was ba-a-a-ad. However, it is not Lucy who sent me, but the Celestial Spirit King. Indeed, Lucy and the others are no closer to finding the real problem in Atlantia."

"Why were you sent?" Makarov asks, worried he isn't going to like the answer.

"He needs to know if this contract is legitimate and binding," Capricorn says, handing over a piece of paper.

Makarov inspects it, and lets out a heavy sigh. "I'm afraid so. She closed this contract before I was aware of the current situation, so that I would have no grounds to argue the terms."

"Because you're an old fool," Porlyusica grumbles, "playing around with things he doesn't understand; like usual."

"Oh hush," he gripes back.

"Then I need to ask you for additional information about Miss Aegina's current condition," Capricorn insists.

"How much do you know already?" Makarov asks, "And what does the Celestial Spirit King have to do with all this?"

"Leo just discovered Aegina's presence within Fairy Tail this evening," Capricorn explains. "He has been on vacation previously. None of the rest of us had realized her identity, because Leo is the only one who has met her before. He became alarmed when he learned that she appears to be ill, but she has been reluctant to disclose more information to him. He brought this contract, and word of her illness, to the Kings attention."

"Why?" Makarov asks again.

"It has to do with a separate arrangement all of us are bound to," Capricorn says with a grave expression. "Aegina's father, Axis Asterope, was instrumental in the decision to pull nymph society ba-a-ack into the realm of myth and legends. He has seen the nymph world nearly destroyed by human greed, and will risk the safety of his children to no one. However, his secrecy required cooperation from the celestial world; as we spirits live even longer than nymphs, and could pose a threat to the identity of all nymph children. As species that both survive on the power of love, and who are both susceptible to the whims or cruelty of humankind, the Celestial King agreed to form a binding contract with Nymph society. Celestial spirits may in no way harm a nymph, unless the life of their keyholder is at stake. We also may not reveal the identity of any nymph, living or dead, or provide information to any other race about their biology, society, or history. This contract supersedes all active contracts with celestial mages."

"I really don't understand what I can tell you that you don't already know then," Makarov grumbles.

"We don't understand how the daughter of Axis could possibly be ill," Capricorn begs. "I am not asking you to reveal her, because we already know who and what she is. I am asking you how it is possible. This could mean life or death for many more than Aegina."

Makarov quickly recounts the events that have unfolded since Gina's arrival at Fairy Tail, as well as Laxus's theory about the state of her heart. Half way through his tale, Capricorn sat down in a nearby chair as if to steady himself. Now he sits with his face in his hands.

"Well?" Makarov gripes. "What can we do about it, and what did you mean about life and death?"

"Good heavens," Capricorn chokes. "I believe we are all in a great deal of trouble, Master Makarov. Axis's contract gives a nymph Queen and Sire complete sovereignty over their own colonies. A Queen gains this status as soon as she formally comes of age - which Gina did long ago."

"The poor child has had too much exposure to humans, I think," Porlyusica concludes, "Which is why I avoid them myself." Porlyusica fails to acknowledge the fact that she, herself, is human.

"What does her status have to do with anything?" Makarov asks.

"It means we cannot go running to Axis to tattle on her," Capricorn says with a frustrated sigh. "It would be considered a violation of her rights as an independent queen. But merciful stars… I can't imagine that this scenario would even occur to Axis as a possibility. If we allow her to go through with this… it could mean war for all of us."

"WAR?!" Makarov bellows in disbelief. "With whom?!"

"With Axis himself," Capricorn replies with a grief-stricken expression. "Axis's temper does not flare quickly or easily, but his rage can burn as intensely as a star. He would not forgive our failure."

"To hell with my reputation!" Makarov shouts. "I'm going to tell him myself!"

"You won't be able to," Capricorn says with a grimace. "Look here." He points to a line of text towards the end of the contract. "You are bound by the terms of nymph society as well, by entering into this agreement in the first place. If you attempt to tell him, the magical properties of the agreement will prevent you. You are as powerless as we are."


	24. Chapter 24 - Night Terror

" **Hi beautiful…" Gina hears Natsu's voice whisper from behind her.**

 **She turns around quickly, meeting his eyes. She is surprised to see that they are sad. As she reaches a hand out towards him, she gasps; realizing she is in her fire form instead of her human one. She pulls her hand back and freezes in panic, but then realizes he doesn't know who she is.**

 **Her body begins to ache. It starts out dull, but grows with severity quickly. Her flames throb, and feel as if they might fizzle out any moment. She collapses to the ground, losing her strength all at once.**

 _ **Oh no… I'm… I'm dying,**_ **she realizes** _ **.**_ **Panic begins to set in. She'd not ready to die yet. She has someone she is supposed to help. She can't remember who, but she knows it is important.**

" **Help me!" she begs Natsu. "Please, help me."**

 **She reaches for him, and he kneels down, allowing her to crawl up into his lap.**

" **Shhhh….." he shushes her, but the tears in his eyes panic her more.**

" **Natsu, please," she begs. "I still have to..."**

" **There's nothing I can do," Natsu says with a catch in his throat, leaning in to kiss her shoulder tenderly as he wraps his arms around her middle. She could swear she feels affection from him, but it's not helping. "Gina…"**

 **She looks at him in surprise. He knows who she is!**

" **Natsu, I'm sorry," she begins to cry, "I just need you to…"**

" **Don't you see," he says with his face etched with grief. "It's too late."**

 _ **What?!**_ **her mind screams.** _ **No! I have to help… someone! I have to… No!**_

" **Gina, why didn't you tell me?" he says, with no hope in his eyes at all.**

" **I'm so sorry!" she cries, ripping herself out of his arms.**

 **She begins running away, but can only make it a few paces before collapsing. She begins to crawl, clawing her way across the ground and leaving scorched ground beneath her.**

" **Get away from me Natsu!" she screams at him without turning around. "I don't want you here!" She doesn't want to make him watch her die. God, she never wanted that. She turns to see him still watching her with tears streaming down his face.**

" **I didn't tell you because I didn't love you!" she lies, "I don't want you here! Go AWAY!"**

Gina wakes up thrashing around in her bed sheets. She throws her hand over her mouth to hold in her screams, but knows it won't work so she holds her breath instead. Everyone in the room appears to still be asleep, and her eyes glance at a soundly sleeping, snoring Natsu. She jumps up, and runs from the room as quickly and quietly as possible; thankful the door was left slightly ajar.

She runs out of the hotel room, and out of the hotel entirely. Every muscle in her body burns, and she can feel her strength fading at an alarming rate. But she has to get farther away. The three dragon slayers in their room will hear her otherwise. She runs out to the outskirts of Atlantia and keeps pushing herself. She hurtles herself into the forest. She runs all the way past the steel mill, and only stops when she trips over a root, tumbling end over end onto the ground.

Finally, she lets out a wail. She knows she hurt herself, but she can't even bother to look for where. She clutches her chest and screams. She screams so hard, she thinks she might actually faint; clawing uselessly at the ground beneath her. Suddenly, she realizes someone is behind her, and she turns around, swatting uselessly at them as her sobs continue tearing from her chest.

"Calm down!" Gajeel's voice roars beside her head, and he grips her shoulders. "Gina! Gina look at me, dammit!"

She knows she needs to get ahold of herself; to think quickly, and come up with some reasonable explanation. She would if she could, but she can't stop screaming.

* * *

 _Holy dragons!_ Gajeel thinks, still trying to catch his breath.

He and Natsu had agreed before bed to take shifts keeping an eye on Gina during the night. Natsu was worrying like an old woman about her health; frightened that she was going to slip back into her fever in her sleep without anyone noticing. Natsu had taken the first shift, which ended about an hour ago. Gajeel had nearly drifted to sleep when he'd noticed her breathing change. He'd seen people have nightmares before, and she had all the signs: increased heart rate, shallow breathing, and then the twitching started. He'd just begun to wonder if he should wake her when she suddenly thrashed herself awake instead.

He'd thought it best to let her come to terms with whatever haunted her, so he pretended to be asleep out of courtesy. Then suddenly, Gina had torn out of the room so fast he nearly landed on top of Erza trying to get himself untangled and go after her. He'd grabbed Panther Lily by the scruff on his way out the door, and was thankful that his Exceed friend took to the air beside him the second he was awake without so much as a question.

Nightmares made people cry, or shake, or whimper. They didn't make people flee in terror. He'd heard of this kind of thing before; called a night terror or something. He'd heard that some could be bad enough to cause people to kill themselves while still asleep. He wasn't gonna let that shit happen on his watch. Gina is definitely awake now, but still seems beyond panicked.

He looks down at her as she continues to scream, and notes that her feet and legs are scratched all to hell, and she is bleeding from her right hip pretty badly. It looks like it was gouged in the fall she took. He feels completely helpless in calming her down. He isn't good with women, damnit!

"Geez…" he mumbles, keeping a tight hold on her shoulders. "Lily! Go get Salamander! Quick!"

"Okay, Gaj…" Panther Lily starts.

"NO!" Gina suddenly screams, wrenching herself out of Gajeel's grip and grabbing a hold of Panther Lily's tail. "Don't! Please!"

"What?" Gajeel asks, confused, trying to get back ahold of her again. He throws his arms around her middle and pins her against his chest from a seated position.

"Please!" she says, as her scream turns for the first time into a jagged, gut-wrenching sob. "Please, Gajeel, please."

"Please what?" he asks, completely confused.

"Don't make him go get Natsu," she sobs. She stuns him completely as she turns around in his grip and throws her arms around his neck, pressing her teary-eyed face into the hollow of his throat and sitting sideways across his lap. "Please, not Natsu."

Gajeel motions to Panther Lily to sit back down on the ground. The small black Exceed looks as confused as he is. "Why not Natsu?" Panther Lily asks.

"Becau-..." her voice cracks and she grits her teeth, and practically writhes in what looks like pain. "Because I don't want him to see." She moans, and it's a low, painful sound. He is about to ask her for more when she suddenly screams, "I don't want him to see me die!"

The sobs start tearing from her chest again with new strength, and Gajeel feels his blood run cold. _Holy dragons…_ he thinks in complete and true fear. _I don't want to see you die, lady._

He concentrates on the feel of her skin. She's not too hot; a little warm maybe, but not feverish. He sniffs her hair cautiously, and she smells the way she always does; sooty and gross. There's no hint of the early stages of death he's come to know all too well in his life. Her heartrate and breathing are completely out of control, but they would be anyway from her fear and her flight through town. Hell, his heart is hammering loud enough he almost can't hear hers.

"You had a nightmare…" Gajeel tries to say with authority despite the tremor in his own voice. "That's all, you little Spitfire. It was just a bad dream."

"I know that…" she wails.

He looks to his friend in confusion, but Panther Lily just stares at her with pity in his eyes. He reaches a paw out to rest gently on her leg as he says, "Is that what your dream was about? Was Natsu there when you were…"

"I don't want to talk about it!" she screams, kicking her feet and digging her fingernails into the skin of Gajeel's shoulders. He transforms his skin to iron to keep them from getting any deeper than the surface.

"It's okay," Panther Lily's attempts to calm her with his deep voice. "You don't have to talk about anything you don't want to."

"Yeah," Gajeel manages through her choke hold. "Just… calm down, okay?"

Gajeel had never thought about Gina dying. Well… he'd thought about the concept; about finding out one day that she was gone. Wondering how it would affect everyone. He hadn't known her very long, and he trusted her even less, but he still knew it would affect him by the time it came. It was the risk he'd taken in volunteering to go after her. The risk of getting close to someone who wasn't sticking around. He hadn't wanted Levy to be alone in it.

But geez… the actual dying part. He didn't want to be there. He didn't want to see it. He'd watched too many people die. He'd even caused his fair share of it back when he was still a loose canon for Phantom Lord. Back when he cared more about being the strongest than about being someone worthy of all that strength.

Natsu loves this broken little girl; more and more by the day. Everyone can see it, and Gajeel saw more than most. He'd seen her pull away. He'd seen her shut Natsu out. But he'd also almost seen her cave to the fire mage, and wondered from the sidelines what made her so calloused. What made her yank the kid's chain over and over again. Now he has to swallow against the lump in his own throat.

He can see Natsu holding Gina in his arms as the life slips out of her. He can imagine the rage on his face; with his veins bulging as he roars out his denial. Even worse, he can see grief crippling him and making him useless; making him lose his spirit. Everyone believes Natsu's spirit to be untouchable, but as Gajeel holds the sobbing, frail woman, he loses all confidence in that belief.

Gajeel holds himself away from Levy to protect her; to give her a chance at a better life with a better man than he could ever be. _Does this little Spitfire keep herself away for the same reason?_ It makes sense to him. She has already tried to outright leave, and they'd prevented her. If she keeps Natsu from getting close, it won't slice him as deeply when she's gone. It would wound him, but maybe not cripple him.

Gajeel has been watching her resolve falter without realizing it. Maybe what he'd thought was yanking the kid's chain, was actually her own weakness against Salamander himself. Maybe the hope he'd seen in her eyes was not a hope of living, but honestly just the hope that she would get to be with them… with him, until she was gone. The temptation to get _just a little closer_ would be powerful and dangerous to them both.

Gajeel fights the tears he can feel welling in his own eyes. If his logic is right, she is going to need help when the time comes. If she doesn't want Natsu to see her die… he'll help her, in whatever way he can. They can all hate him for it if they want. He's used to being the bad guy.

* * *

 _I need to stop crying!_ Gina shrieks within her own head, but her stupid body just keeps sobbing. She clings to Gajeel's iron strength, still frightened that he will send for help, but he seems content to sit for the moment. _What the hell is going on with me?!_

She tries to reflect back on what her dream was telling her. Dying is not news. It is her decision! So, why had it hurt so badly?

She suspects the physical pain in her dream was real, and brought in by her true condition. When she woke up, and even now, her body aches in much the same way her flames had in the dream. The sensation is very weak, but it is still there. She hadn't wanted to believe death would be painful, but that is very likely wishful thinking. Natsu's flames had counteracted the poisoning from the water magic itself, but not reversed the damage it had already done to her system. This has probably been happening with Gray's magic as well, but she hadn't realized it was actually draining her reserves faster. No wonder she hasn't been able to recover like before, even with love from Laxus and affection from Natsu and the others.

 _But the emotional pain_ … the emotional pain had been crippling. Even now, the thought of him being present at the end was unbearable. _But why?_

The evening had not been a bad one. Hell, she'd even had a little fun! The being poisoned part sucked, but Natsu remedied that before she was even back at the hotel. She almost wants to smile through her tears as she thinks back over their little encounter. He'd almost gotten her killed, but she was sure he hadn't meant to.

 _His hands…_ oh God, his hands had been like magic on her skin. She'd been a skilled lover for decades, but having Natsu's hands on her bare flames had made her suddenly feel like she'd never really made love in her entire life. She'd kissed him in that state, with no reservations at all! He'd groaned beneath her mouth in obvious pleasure, and he hadn't once tried to drink from her magic. He seemed determined to prove all of their fears about dragon slayers as completely invalid! He could have so easily overpowered her, and fed off her very life force, but he hadn't even acted tempted.

He'd acted like a man who was genuinely aroused by the real her; deadly flames and all. His skin adapted to her touch and still seemed capable of feeling pleasure. His hair, his lips, his eyes… nothing about her harmed him. _He was perfect._

Perhaps that singular truth is what hurts the most. What is supposed to be his greatest flaw, is in fact his biggest strength. What is supposed to be his most critical requirement for the role of Sire, his capacity to love, instead will be his greatest disqualification. She walks herself through the mental routine she had been taught as a child; reciting the requirements for a Sire. He is a fire mage. He is brave. He is capable of selflessness. He is capable of great love. He is loyal. He is powerful, but not power hungry. He is able to exist in a large family, and… he is passionate.

 _Natsu is everything I have ever looked for, and have never found._ It is cruel that fate would deal her this hand now. It is cruel that it would show her someone so perfect, and yet so wrong. His love for his current family would erode him over time. She can't do that to him. Not when she loves him.

Gina freezes, and suddenly new sobs begin tearing from her throat. Gajeel begins to rock her, and whisper, but she can't focus on what he's saying. _I can't love him! It's not possible! Not after Laxus! Not after Gavin! Not again!_ She can't believe she's been so foolish as to allow herself to fall again. Not for him. Not when the end is so close. She can't stand it!

Her dream had not been wrong. Without her father, there is nothing left that can save her. No matter how much Natsu could bring himself to love her, it would never be enough. It would be like pouring wine into a bottomless glass. He would suffer as she slipped away anyway.

For the first time since Gavin's death, Gina questions her choice. _Are the water nymphs right? Am I giving up too easily? Am I betraying my people? Should I be asking him?_ She doesn't know how to answer her own questions, but she knows they need answers. _How do I ask him… without asking him?_ She still knows, without a doubt, that if he believed her life depended on his answer, he would give the answer that would save her. She can't trust that option to find the truth. But now she needs to figure out how to keep herself alive long enough to find answers, and sitting here bleeding into the dirt is not going to help.

"Gajeel…" Gina chokes out through her raw vocal chords, finding the strength to stifle her sobs, if not her sniffles.

"Yeah?" he asks quietly.

"I'm sorry, but… ummm." She sniffs again, attempting to stop trembling. "I think I hurt my leg when I fell."

"Yeah," he grumbles. "I was wonderin' when you'd notice."

"Thank you," she says, choking back another small sob. "For not getting Natsu. I don't want you to think that I hate him, or…"

"I know," Gajeel cuts her short. "I understand keeping yourself back from someone you care about. I understand wanting to protect them." He pulls back to look her in the eye, as he says, "You don't have to explain it to me."

Gina can't keep her face from crumpling again at the truth she still doesn't want to know, much less admit. But the look in Gajeel's eyes tells her he knows without words.

"Look, I uh…" Gajeel shifts uncomfortably. "I want you to know somethin'. If there really is no other way. If… if you're really at the end, and there isn't anything that can be done, I'll help you. I'll help in whatever way I can to uh… to make it easier on the kid."

"Gajeel…" Panther Lily objects in whisper.

Gina can feel Gajeel's genuine care and concern wash over her, and it nearly takes her breath away. "You would do that?" she whispers.

"Hey, I care about him too," Gajeel admits with a faint blush. "But don't be thinkin' I haven't made him promises too. If there IS a way to save you… I'm sure as hell gonna help him find it."

"Thank you," Gina whispers, and hugs him tightly again.

"Sure thing, sweetheart," Gajeel sighs, "Now what the hell do we do about your legs?"

"Ummm… I need Wendy, I think," Gina sniffs.

"Wendy?" Gajeel asks. "I didn't think she could heal you."

"Oh no," Gina says with a tired sounding laugh. "She can heal damage like this, just like for everyone. She just can't heal my illness. It's different."

"And you're still not willing to cough up the details?" Gajeel challenges.

Gina just shakes her head no, and won't meet his eyes again.

"Alright…" he sighs, standing up with her in his arms and beginning to walk back towards the hotel. "Lily go get Wendy and Carla. Go light on the details, and just get them to meet us part way. Try not to panic anybody."

"Right away," Panther Lily says, taking to the skies.

* * *

Natsu paces back and forth in front of the hotel. He can't stop his hands from trembling. He'd woken up to the sound of Panther Lily trying to rouse Wendy and Carla, and realized Gajeel was overdue to wake him back up. He'd glanced over to see both Gina and Gajeel missing, and realized quickly that Panther Lily was attempting to wake up their healing mage.

He'd bolted out of bed, beginning to track Gajeel's scent instantly. Then, before he could dodge, Panther Lily expanded into his battle cat form in front of him like a mountain and had cold-cocked him into the back of the room. He had screamed at Panther Lily in anger and disbelief, and ended up waking up everyone in the room. Natsu had demanded to go see if Gina was alright, but Panther Lily had stood like some kind of samurai guard, and declared that she wanted Wendy and only Wendy. That made no sense to Natsu. Wendy couldn't heal Gina, so what the hell did she want her for?

Now he paces back and forth to keep from screaming until they come back.

"Natsu," Lucy says from beside him, but he ignores her. "Natsu, Lily wouldn't keep us all away if it was really an emergency. Right? Gina's okay. I'm sure of it."

Natsu wants to believe it, but he doesn't. Laxus said Gina didn't want to be saved. _What if she'd hurt herself? What if… no._ Gina had been intent on seeing the ice golem the next day. She wouldn't have left in the middle of the night to do something stupid. _But then why the hell are they gone?!_

Suddenly, Natsu can smell her coming. He lifts his eyes, and feels nearly faint with relief as he sees her walking beside Wendy with a blanket wrapped around her. Gina looks tired and weak, much weaker than he remembered her looking, but otherwise unharmed. He pushes past Erza and Lucy, and runs to meet her.

"Are you okay?" he asks, nearly reaching for her before tucking his hands beneath his folded arms to prevent himself from making that mistake again.

Tears well up in her eyes briefly as she gives him a smile, but she blinks them away quickly. It makes his blood burn.

"Oh, I'm okay," she says softly. Then she addresses the group. "I'm sorry everybody. I didn't mean to worry everyone. I just had a bad dream. I'm okay now though. We should all go back to sleep, and get as much as we can before tomorrow."

"Are you sure you feel alright going back to sleep?" Erza asks with concern in her voice.

"Oh, yeah," Gina laughs with what Natsu has come to know as her false laugh. "I'll be fine. Wendy helped me sort it out." She heads back to the hotel, and after a few steps turns back to see that he is not following her. "Natsu…"

"I'm waiting up for Gajeel," he replies gruffly.

"He'll be back soon," she protests. "You don't need to…"

"I said, I'm waiting up!" he shouts at her, angry that she is lying to him. "Go back to bed!"

Everyone just stops and stares at him in stunned silence, but he refuses to apologize. He's not going to believe a word of this bullshit until Gajeel gets back.

"Erza…" Natsu says, in a tone even she has rarely heard; one that should convey exactly how serious he is. "Take. Gina. Back. To bed."

"I don't appreciate your tone, Natsu," Erza says, narrowing her eyes at him, and letting her magic flare. He notices then that her eyes widen only slightly when he doesn't even flinch at her genuine threat. "But we will all do as you ask. It is a good idea anyway. Come on, Gina."

Erza tows Gina away by the hand, and for once, he's thankful to see it.

* * *

Gajeel is a few blocks away from the hotel, lagging a little behind to collect himself enough to face Salamander, when he hears hard hitting footsteps on the pavement heading his way fast.

"Awwww, shit," Gajeel gripes, bracing for the impact he already knows is coming.

In a split second, Natsu flies from around the corner. Gajeel just barely gets his forearm in the way before the enraged idiot gets his hand around his throat; then forces him back against the alley wall. He should kick flame-for-brains' ass for a stunt like this, without even giving him the chance to explain, but he pities him right now. So, he braces against the force instead of really fighting back.

"What the fuck is going on?!" Natsu whispers.

"Didn't they tell you?" Gajeel asks instead, trying to be careful of saying too much.

"They didn't say ANYTHING that would explain her blood all over you! Don't you dare lie to me Metal Head!" Natsu says, looking a little more crazy than Gajeel has ever seen him before.

"Are you actually accusing me of hurting her?!" Gajeel roars with his own anger.

"I want to know why everyone is lying about what happened!" Natsu roars. "Bad dreams don't make you bleed!"

"Night terrors can!" Gajeel roars back. "Those damn things can kill!" Natsu suddenly looks confused, and then doubly worried, glancing back towards the hotel. "Now are you gonna let me explain, Salamander," Gajeel challenges in a seething tone, "Or are you gonna make me regret helping you _and_ her?"

Natsu backs off, verbally and physically, glancing back towards the hotel yet again with a worry that makes Gajeel feel even more ill.

"I just told them to send her back to bed," Natsu mumbles. "Should we keep her awake instead?"

Gajeel reaches out and grabs the conflicted idiot before he takes off again. "No, dammit. Just hold still for a minute! She needs sleep. She's exhausted. I think she'll be okay now, but regardless she's not gonna be asleep in the next 10 minutes."

"What's a night terror?" Natsu asks.

"It's like a nightmare but worse," Gajeel explains. "I don't know a whole lot about 'em. Never had one myself, but I've heard about 'em. They scare people bad enough to run around and do stupid shit in their sleep. Sometimes when they wake up, it can be nearly impossible to calm 'em down. They're still trapped in the fear or the pain when they wake up."

"Is that what happened to Gina?" Natsu says, looking mortified.

"Not really sure," Gajeel admits. "I noticed she was having a nightmare. She had all the signs, but she seemed to wake up on her own. I didn't want to embarrass her, so I pretended to be asleep at first… but then she took off out of the room like a bat out of hell. I barely had time to grab Lily on my way out the door. Geez man… she was running like lightning! I would never have believed she could run that fast. The trees, and ground, and everything were tearin' her legs up as she ran. I could smell the blood, but I couldn't get close enough to get a grip on her. Then she caught her foot on something right outside the mill and went down hard. Ripped her damn hip open, and bled all over me."

Natsu looks pale.

"Then she started screamin'," Gajeel says, wishing he didn't have to convince the poor guy, but knowing that trying to be shy on the details would piss him off again. "But she wasn't screamin' like she was hurt. She was screamin' like… Geez man, I don't know… Like the world was freakin' ending. She was clawing at the dirt, and…"

"Yeah," Natsu says, surprisingly cutting him off, and squeezing his eyes tightly shut. "I've seen it before. What did you do?"

"I tried to snap her out of it, but she wasn't really even there," Gajeel admits. "So I was about to send for help… when she really flipped out on me. She climbed up in my lap and begged me not to bring anyone else. She didn't want… to be seen like that."

"I've seen it before…" Natsu says, looking frustrated. "I could have…"

"You want to see how serious she was?!" Gajeel roars, ripping his shirt off over his head, and turning the claw marks from her little nails, still bleeding, towards him. Gajeel had done his best to wash her blood off him before heading back, but knew Natsu wouldn't miss it. He'd refused Wendy's offer to heal these little wounds on his shoulders, so he would still have some proof. "Those aren't love bites, Salamander!" He's happy to see a return of anger spark back in the fire mage's eyes. It was better than the worry. "She wanted to be left alone long enough to sort it out. So I let her. You want to take a run at me for it?"

"No," Natsu says, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. "I just… damn. I don't know. Did she say what the nightmare was about?"

Gajeel has been trying to figure out how to answer that very question without lying. Finally he decides on a semi-safe version. "She said it was about dyin'."

Instead of looking grief-stricken, like Gajeel expects, Natsu looks confused.

"Dying?" he asks a little dumbly, and then he gets a stupid grin on his face.

"Did you hear me right?" Gajeel asks, worried suddenly for the kid's mind.

"Yeah," he says with a sigh. "I'm…" he even laughs. "I'm glad she's not, uh… hoping for it."

"Oh," Gajeel replies, finally understanding Salamander's relief. "No man, I don't think she wants to die. Not if what I saw tonight means anything."

"So you sent for Wendy to clean up her cuts?" Natsu asks. "I didn't think Wendy could heal her. How is her hip?"

"You saw her," Gajeel scoffs. "Wendy patched her up just fine. Gina said she could heal stuff like that, just like she could do for anybody. She just can't heal whatever her illness is. And no… she wasn't willing to tell me anything else about it. I did ask."

"Damn," Natsu mumbles, running his hand over his face and yawning. "Well, we'd better get back. Sorry about the uh…"

"Trying to rip my head off?" Gajeel scoffs. "You've gotta get a grip on your temper about this woman, Salamander. You're letting her make you even crazier than normal. I'm not sure the towns we're in can handle that shit. You start tearing shit up, and Makarov's gonna…"

"I know, I know," Natsu waves him off without even a hint of concern. "I'm sorry, Gajeel. I just… I…"

Gajeel doesn't want him to say the words aloud if they're true. Not if he loves her. Not if she's going to die, and there's nothing they can do. "I know man. Don't go getting soft on me. Just, keep her a little less under your skin, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," Natsu shrugs, before heading back to the hotel.


	25. Chapter 25 - Facing Facts

Gina stares down at her breakfast, trying to figure a way out of her current predicament. Lucy came over a few minutes ago and set a massive plate of food down in front of her. Erza and Wendy seem to be watching her closely from across the small table. They have no way of knowing this is the wrong kind of sustenance, and they can undoubtedly see how much weaker she is after her adventures yesterday. Natsu is seated with Gajeel, Levy, and the exceeds at a different table. He seems to be keeping his distance from her this morning, even more than before.

She still hasn't figured out what to do about the water nymphs. She understands what they need - a Sire as quickly as possible. She just doesn't know how to manage it. Communication between the nymph colonies is conducted almost exclusively through the nymph Sires; a major flaw when said Sire was killed along with his children who may have also known. There is slightly more communication between nymph colonies of the same element, for situations just like this one, but Gina does not know anything about the water colonies herself. That's information her father would have passed on to the Sire she chose after their colony was first established. The lack of communication is intentional; to prevent a successful hunt, like the one that took place here, from spreading to additional vulnerable colonies.

If she truly can't find another solution, she will have no choice but to make immediate contact with her father. She will not allow more of them to die simply to carry out her plan to fade. Choosing to fade away herself is completely different from willful negligence against nymphs in desperate need. She just wishes there was someone else who could…

 _LEO! Leo can carry a message for me!_ she realizes. _He may even know where one is located._

The celestial spirits are the solution to everything, and she's never even considered them! If she can bring them into the conversation today, using Lucy, then they can hash out the details of an adoption in relative ease. She's not sure what excuse to give Fairy Tail… but feels much more confident now that she at least has an option that doesn't directly involve Axis.

"Gina? Are you feeling any better this morning?" Lucy's gentle voice breaks into her thoughts.

"Um," Gina stalls, clearing her throat. "I didn't have any more bad dreams."

"Good," Lucy says with a smile.

"Are all of your cuts doing alright?" Wendy pipes in with obvious worry in her tone.

"Yes, thank you," Gina smiles back at her. "I'm sorry that I worried all of you. I really shouldn't have..."

"Nonsense," Erza says without looking up from her own plate. "Facing your own death is challenging to anyone." Gina feels her body tense at Erza's apparent knowledge of the subject of her dream, then remembers Gajeel giving the simplified explanation to Wendy when she'd first arrived. "I would know better than most."

"What do you mean?" Gina asks in mild surprise.

"Many of us here were engaged in a battle at a place called the Tower of Heaven," she explains. "I faced an enemy from my past, and saw no way out without sacrificing my own life for that of my comrades. In that battle, I accepted my death so that those I love would live on."

"What happened?" Gina asks, wondering what could circumvent that kind of resolve.

"Natsu happened, actually," Erza chuckles, and Gina feels stunned. "I had walked into a lacrima which was completely over-powered with ethernano. I'd hoped to use my own body to direct the blast away from my friends. Natsu was so badly injured by then that he could barely crawl, but he was screaming for me to stop. I didn't think he had any real chance of stopping me, but he did. He crawled his way straight into the lacrima, found me, and drug me out. Someone else ended up saving us in the end. That's when Natsu made me promise to never do anything like that ever again - to never choose death. Always choose life."

"Yeah," Lucy's voice echoes softly, "he did something similar for Gray once too. Gray was planning to use a spell called Iced Shell to defeat the demon Deliora. Deliora had killed his family, and countless others, when he was young. Natsu just jumped in the way and refused to let him sacrifice himself. In the end, Gray's sacrifice would have been a complete waste. Deliora's life force had been drained away long before, and he was nothing more than a big scary shadow."

"Wow," Gina says, knowing now that her instinct about what Natsu's choice would be is correct. "It sounds like he will stop at nothing to prevent someone he cares about from making that choice."

"When he pulled me from the lacrima, he was so angry he was crying," Erza says with a fond smile. "He told me then… 'You don't die for your friends. You live for them.' I have held onto that truth since that time. I guess what I am saying is… I understand what it is like to face your death, and even to accept it. But you should never stop fighting, with whatever strength you have left."

"I understand, Erza," Gina simply nods, "and thank you."

* * *

"So what's the plan?" Natsu asks Gina as they approach the old burned down house. It's the first time he's talked to her all day.

"Oh, are we speaking again?" she bites back without even looking his direction.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" he spits back.

"You've avoided me like the plague, and completely ignored me all day," she quips, "I thought you decided to complete the mission without speaking to me again."

"Come on guys," Happy complains from above them, and Ming chitters in agreement from around her neck. "We need to be ready to face the big ice monster. Not fight each other."

"Sorry, Happy," Gina mumbles with a sad expression. "You're right."

Natsu hates that look on her face, but the truth is he's scared out of his mind. It has nothing to do with the ice golem and everything to do with Gina. Before she even woke up this morning, she'd taken on a completely haggard appearance. Her skin looks paler somehow, almost translucent. Her eyes look more shadowed, and her hair seems to have lost its glossy finish. He's watching her die, and he's still no closer to understanding the cause than before. She seems to be getting weaker not just by the day, but by the hour.

"Gina, wait," he sighs, stopping his movement. "We have to talk before we meet this thing."

"About what?" she asks without turning around.

"About the plan," he says in frustration. "About us. About everything, dammit."

Gina turns slowly with her eyes narrowed. "You know the basic plan, just like everyone else. Gajeel also suspects that we're being watched. And you want to do this _now_?"

"Look, I'm sorry," he pleads with her. "I've been an ass today." He hadn't even talked with her when the group had discussed the plan, because he was too conflicted about what needs to be done to make up his own mind. He struggles now with how to say what is worrying him without giving them away. "I haven't been…" he glances around as if attempting to maintain their cover, "a very good lover, or even a good friend. I know you had a rough night. I just… don't want them to take this the wrong way." He motions between them.

Gina sighs and nods subtly. "Yes, it will be difficult to maintain appearances this way," she says. "But there's no way to know what _else_ they may have seen if Gajeel is right anyway."

"I hope you know I only did what I did yesterday to try and catch that chick," he says swallowing hard.

Damn he does not want to have this conversation, but the events last night had been a major discussion point this morning. He'd explained his own theory to the group; that somehow these elemental women were seducing the men into going with them willingly. He still wasn't sure how the ice golems fit in, but Gajeel seemed convinced that they may not be ice golems at all. Gina seemed irritated by the entire discussion, and had said there was no point in theorizing until they talked to it again. Natsu could only assume that her irritation came from his behavior with the mystery woman, but that was probably wishful thinking.

"Yes, you explained that already," she says with a heavy sigh. "But you haven't exactly given _them_ any opposing indication, have you?" She motions to imply his continued physical distance.

"I just… I just need to see Gray to…" he struggles.

"Look, Natsu," Gina says, turning away and beginning to walk away again. "I'm not angry with you about any of that. Why would I be?"

 _Ouch,_ he thinks to himself. _Okay, that hurt._

"I'm just tired," she says as she continues trudging forward. "Let's just get this over with."

Suddenly, water gushes up from the ground, mere feet in front of her body, like a wall. It begins to form into an ice golem immediately.

"Gina!" he shouts, and grabs her upper arm, pulling her back behind his body defensively.

Surprisingly, Gina doesn't fight him, and instead grabs his shoulders and peers over them from behind. He hates the fact that she is touching him, but is more frightened of her actually getting out of reach. He hears her fish in her token bag for her magical translation token, and flip it onto her arm.

"Translation technique," she says from behind his shoulder, and then starts up with her weird clicking and chirping.

* * *

" _WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"_ Gina gripes in Etheria about the nymphs' sudden appearance.

" _YOU SEEM TO BE HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH YOUR DRAGON SLAYER THIS MORNING,"_ the voice she has come to recognize as Dalma's booms back at her with a mocking tone.

"NO MORE THAN USUAL," she says, rolling her eyes. " _I HAVE A PLAN, BUT IT INVOLVES BRINGING IN A CELESTIAL SPIRIT. WOULD YOU AGREE?"_

" _HOW COULD A CELESTIAL SPIRIT HELP?"_ Dalma asks.

" _HE MAY KNOW HOW TO LOCATE ANOTHER COLONY THAT COULD ADOPT ALL OF YOU,"_ she explains. " _BUT WE HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM. THEY ALREADY SUSPECT TOO MUCH. I'M NOT SURE HOW TO EXPLAIN THE DISAPPEARANCES, OR WHY YOU'VE TAKEN GRAY."_

" _LEAVE THAT TO ME,"_ Dalma replies, " _AND CALL IN YOUR WOMAN WITH THE STARS. IN FACT, CALL THEM ALL IN."_

"What does it want?" Natsu finally asks. "Did it bring Gray?"

"It knows the rest of the team is here," she replies. "It wants them to show themselves."

Happy flies up into the sky and gives the signal to the group, and they all come out of their various hiding places and file in around Natsu and Gina. Gina moves back in front of Natsu, and he doesn't look happy about it, but he is also unwilling to hold her back physically. Ming peers out from under her chin silently.

"Well…" Gajeel grumbles. "That was a complete waste of time. I told you, these things are water-based. Not just ice."

"You may be right," Gina concedes. "Lucy, it seems to want you to call a celestial spirit."

"Really?" Lucy asks with surprise in her tone. "Did it say why?"

"It seems to think that an older spirit will speak the same language," Gina bluffs. "and it would trust them as a mediator more than me. I've seen you fight with Aquarius and Virgo. Do you have any of the other Zodiac keys?"

"Heck yeah," Lucy beams. "Tell it that I could call on Leo, Virgo, Taurus, Gemini, or Ares. I think Scorpio and Aquarius are out on a date. Sagittarius has the day off, but he might be available in a pinch."

" _I AM GOING TO ASK YOU TO BE GRACIOUS OF MY REQUEST FOR PRIVACY,"_ she says to Dalma instead, " _LEO DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT MY CHOICE TO FADE, BUT HE ALREADY KNOWS WHO I AM."_

" _YOUR CHOICE COULD JEOPARDIZE US ALL,"_ Dalma scolds through the golems angry face. " _YOU ARE ALREADY TOO WEAK. WE CANNOT EVEN COME IN CONTACT WITH YOU WITHOUT RISKING YOUR DEATH."_

" _I UNDERSTAND,"_ Gina concedes, " _BUT THAT IS NOT MY INTENTION. IT IS MY HOPE THAT LEO AND THIS GUILD CAN USHER YOU TO SAFETY, EVEN WITHOUT ME IF NECESSARY."_ Gina then turns back to Lucy. "It wants to speak with Leo."

"Show us Gray first!" Natsu suddenly insists. "You don't get anything until we see him!"

"That's right," Lucy agrees. "I'll call Leo as soon as I see Gray with my own eyes."

" _GO AHEAD AND BRING HIM OUT IF YOU CAN,"_ Gina requests.

Suddenly, the ground begins trembling in a steady thumping sound, and a second golem begins emerging in the distance.

"I don't like this…" Gajeel mumbles, stepping into a fighting stance. "We've got no way of knowing how many of these things there are."

"Don't worry about it," Natsu replies with arrogance in his tone. "If I hadn't been dealing with Gina before, this thing was no match for me. Even with a couple dozen of them, they'd be outgunned."

Gina rolls her eyes, but realizes that he's not wrong. These nymphs are no match for anyone with any real magical ability in their current state. As the new golem comes to stand beside the first, a small pool of water comes forth from its body to reveal Gray floating, unconscious, in a Water Lock spell.

"Gray!" Lucy shouts in distress. "He'll drown in there! Gray!"

Gray wakes up within the water, and begins pounding on the sides of the water lock. "Lucy?" he asks, looking disoriented, "Where the hell am I?"

"They seem to be aerating the water," Carla muses from beside Wendy's feet. "He's not going to drown in there, young lady."

"Oh thank God," Lucy sighs. "Alright. We're going to get you out of there, Gray, just hold tight. Open! Gate of the Lion, Leo!"

Leo appears in a dazzling flash and grins at Lucy. "You called, beautiful?"

"It seems like these things want to talk to you," Lucy explains.

"Wow…" he replies with a chuckle, "Translation's normally not my thing, but I can give it a try."

" _AEGINA SEEMS TO BELIEVE YOU MAY BE ABLE TO HELP US,"_ Dalma says to Leo in Etheria.

"Ahhh… I see," Leo says, scratching his chin in thought.

"You know what these things really are?" Gajeel asks.

"Can't say," Leo replies with a shrug.

"Then we were right!" Natsu says with a triumphant smile, and Gina glares at Leo. "They are just like the woman in the woods right?"

"Can't say," Leo sighs. "This is… not going to be easy."

"Just give it your best shot," Gina encourages him.

" _WHAT EXACTLY DOES AEGINA THINK I CAN DO?"_ Leo asks Dalma. " _WHAT IS TRULY GOING ON HERE?"_

" _WE ARE DYING,"_ Dalma responds. " _BOTH OF OUR PARENTS WERE KILLED 16 YEARS AGO. WITHOUT A SIRE, WE HAVE BEEN FADING FOR A LONG TIME. MOST OF US ARE SUFFERING FROM ELEMENTAL POISONING. WE HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF OTHER COLONIES, BUT AEGINA SEEMS TO THINK WE SHOULD SEEK ADOPTION."_

"Holy shit…" Leo mumbles.

"What is it?" Erza asks. "What do they want?"

"It's not something they want," Leo replies, glancing at Gina. "It's something they need. Badly."

"Is that why they are abducting people?" Erza asks. "Is it something that can be provided another way?"

" _I THINK AEGINA MAY HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED A TEMPORARY SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEM,"_ Leo replies to Dalma instead. Gina looks back at him, completely confused until he pulls out her lipstick case.

" _THEY CANNOT SEE THAT,"_ Gina hisses, but tries to appear like she's talking to the ice golem instead.

" _THEY CAN SEE IT WITHOUT SCOURING THE DETAILS,"_ Leo argues. " _WHAT IS YOUR NAME, BY THE WAY? I'VE BEEN COMPLETELY RUDE."_

" _MY NAME IS DALMA,"_ she replies. " _I SPEAK FOR US."_

" _OKAY DALMA,"_ Leo says with a charming smile, " _FORTUNATELY FOR YOU, AEGINA ALREADY HAS A CONTRACT IN PLACE WITH THE FAIRY TAIL GUILD, SWEARING THEM TO SECRECY ABOUT THE NYMPH SOCIETIES. IT SPECIFICALLY PREVENTS THE GUILD MASTER, AND OTHERS WHO KNOW AEGINA'S TRUE IDENTITY FROM REVEALING HER TO ANYONE WITHIN OR OUTSIDE OF THE GUILD. HOWEVER, IT ALSO BINDS THE ENTIRE GUILD TO SECRECY ABOUT NYMPH SOCIETY IN GENERAL. IF YOU CHOOSE TO TRUST THE FAIRY TAIL MEMBERS HERE WITH YOUR SECRETS, THEY WOULD ALREADY BE BOUND TO KEEP THAT SECRET."_

" _AND YOU BELIEVE THEY CAN BE TRUSTED?"_ Dalma asks.

" _WITH MY LIFE, AND YOURS,"_ he replies without hesitation. " _AND AEGINA'S IF SHE WOULD EVER ALLOW IT."_

" _I DO NOT WISH TO BE EXPOSED,"_ Gina pleads, " _AND I AM NOT SURE IT IS WISE TO SHARE TOO MUCH INFORMATION."_

" _YOU WILL REPEAT EVERYTHING I SAY, EXACTLY AS I SAY IT,"_ Dalma threatens. " _OR I WILL EXPOSE YOU, AND YOU WILL HAVE TO FIGHT FOR YOUR MAGE BACK. I AM NOT BOUND BY YOUR CONTRACT."_

" _BUT NYMPH LAW STATES THAT…"_ Gina attempts to argue.

" _I HAVE BEEN TAUGHT NO LAW,"_ Dalma spits back, " _BUT I KNOW BETTER THAN TO TRUST A FIRE QUEEN WHO WILL NOT EVEN TAKE A SIRE. YOU WILL TRANSLATE EXACTLY, OR YOU WILL PAY THE PRICE."_

" _FINE,"_ Gina agrees reluctantly, and begins translating Dalma's words to the group. "She says her name is Dalma Arethusa."

"She?" Gajeel questions.

The ice golem suddenly dissolves into 7 water nymphs in their pure water states. The entire group breathes in a gasp of shock, except for Natsu who just grunts. Gina grits her teeth in anger, but continues translating.

"We are not ice golems, but water nymphs," Gina tries to say as if in wonder. "We apologize for taking your ice mage from you, but we have need of him."

"What did you need him for?" Erza questions, keeping a steady hand on the hilt of her sword.

Dalma motions to her sisters, and another two water nymphs trickle up from the ground. One is being physically supported by the other, and her water is at least half black with elemental poisoning.

"This is her sister," Gina relays, as ordered. "She has a sickness called elemental poisoning. Elemental magics other than water have become toxic to her." Dalma then motions again, and Gray is released from the water lock, and Gina feels dread well in her stomach as she realizes this was planned. "Your ice mage can heal her, simply by touching her."

"Really?" Wendy asks, moving forward to see.

"I can what?" Gray asks, still looking slightly dazed. He takes a step back as the injured nymph stands to her feet, but hesitantly allows her to put her arms around him. As she does, the black begins to fade slightly in her body.

"Hey Gray!" Natsu shouts, "Grow some ice. It will help more."

"How the heck do you know that?" Gray asks.

"Just trust me," Natsu says with a blush.

Gray lets a coating of frost cover his body first - which is easily visible because he's still in his underwear - and the black begins to recede faster. "Whoa…" he mumbles, and then lets his ice wrap more fully around her body. She sighs in what appears to be relief, and the black begins to fade even more rapidly. "Damn. You should have just told me that. You guys made me think I was losin' my damn mind."

"So what about the woman in the woods?" Natsu asks. "She was made of fire, and she had wings!"

"She was not one of their sisters," Gina translates with trepidation. "She came to see if she could help them, but only ended up catching the illness herself." Gina attempts not to sigh in relief at Dalma's decision to hide her at least somewhat. "They were surprised that you helped her."

"It, uh…" Natsu chokes a little, and suddenly surprises Gina by pulling her back against his chest. She can feel affection pour from him in a sudden wave over her body. "wasn't what it looked like. I…"

"They know what you were trying to do," Gina translates, looking to the ground. "They also know that you…" Gina pauses, wondering if she heard Dalma right, "are the father of my child." _Why are they even bringing that ruse up?_

Leo raises an eyebrow, but does not interrupt. The rest of the group stirs restlessly, wondering where the conversation is headed as well.

"Is that why you stopped trying to kill us before?" Natsu asks.

"Yes," Gina translates, noting that Dalma reminded her yet again to use her _exact_ words. "Place your hands over your child."

Natsu wraps his arms more fully around her, and places both his hands against her stomach, playing his part beautifully and having no idea the entire trick is on him instead of them.

"In our society," Gina says, fighting the urge to flee from whatever they're trying to communicate to him in this game. "Fathers are sacred. Mothers bring forth new life, but fathers sustain. Their strength, is our strength. They protect, and they provide, but they also literally sustain our life force."

"Damn…" Gray mumbles.

"Oh yeah?" Gajeel pipes in for the first time. "If they're such a big deal, then where are they?"

"Their father is dead," Leo answers instead with a solemn expression. "That's why they've been forced to resort to this. They are dying, and they have no one to heal them, or help them until the end."

"Oh my," Panther Lily comments.

"That's terrible," Lucy whispers.

" _ASK HIM IF HE WILL SUSTAIN YOUR CHILD,"_ Dalma orders.

" _DO NOT INTERFERE IN THIS,"_ Gina pleads.

" _DO IT, OR I WILL ASK HIM MYSELF IN HIS NATIVE TONGUE,"_ she barks back.

"She wants to know if you will sustain my child," Gina says with a small tremor to her voice.

Natsu seems to take forever to respond, and his affection grows thick enough that Gina fights back the urge to choke on it in anger, before he says, "I know what it looked like in the woods, but I never intended anything more than to capture that lady, and I felt terrible that I hurt her. Humans aren't like you. We can die, and our kids don't die because of it. I can't imagine how hard it must be knowing your kids would die without you. But... I won't ever let Gina down."

Gina can't prevent a single tear from escaping down her cheek, and she wants to scream at all of them for it. She can also sense Gajeel watching her carefully from beside them, and the tear has not escaped his notice. _This is no business of theirs!_

"How can we help?" Erza pipes in again. "There must be something that can be done for them."

"Maybe I can help them with my healing magic?" Wendy says, sounding unsure.

"They need to be adopted," Leo explains. "This is where it gets complicated."

"Well then spit it out," Gajeel grumbles. "Let's get this show on the road."

"They need to get in contact with another water colony and request adoption," he explains. "I can locate one through the celestial archives easily enough, but then a request will need to be sent ahead by one group as another helps these nymphs get there. They… may not all make it. They seem to be in pretty bad shape."

"Juvia can help," Gajeel replies, not realizing another nymph won't help, or even that Juvia actually is one.

"And I can send for Lyon," Gray adds. "He uses the same magic I do."

"There's not really time for that," Leo counters, "and there's another complication."

"What?" Gray spits in disbelief.

"This contract," Leo replies, unfurling it for the first time, "is an agreement that Fairy Tail has already put in place to protect the information you've been given so far. According to the rest of the world, Nymphs are legends, not real creatures. That is by design. I was not allowed to tell you anything before, because the Celestial Spirit King himself signed an agreement with the nymph societies; preventing us from telling anyone we encounter anything about their people. However, when I learned that they may be involved here, I had Capricorn seek an additional contract with Makarov - after getting permission from the nymphs of course. This contract forbids the members of Fairy Tail from ever telling anyone outside of the guild about the existence of nymphs, and I would recommend limiting it to those of you here and Master Makarov. Otherwise, keeping the lid on something this big is near impossible. None of you are permitted to speak of their existence, or anything else you learn about their biology or history to anyone else."

"I think we can manage that," Erza replies. "If Makarov has agreed, then I respect his opinion, and believe he would want us to help them."

"So what do we do?" Gray asks. "Seems like you need me here with them."

"And I should stay," Lucy adds, "To keep an eye on things… and make sure Leo can be close by."

"Natsu and I should leave for the location of the next nymph colony," Gina adds. "His magic is fire magic, and they said that would be toxic."

"Right," Erza replies, "which means if any of your own original magic form broke through, you could be toxic as well. Also, we need to know if this elemental poisoning can be contagious. It seems that the woman Natsu encountered caught it from them. Can it be transferred to humans?"

Gina is terrified of Dalma's answer. The truth would be that no, it is unique to nymph biology as far as they all knew. But then again, Gina didn't even realize it was possible at all until recently.

" _WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO TELL THEM?"_ Gina asks.

" _I WOULD PREFER THEY NOT BE TOLD ANYTHING THAT WOULD MAKE THEM HESITANT TO HELP,"_ Dalma replies with a sigh, " _BUT I WILL NOT FORCE YOU TO REVEAL WHAT YOU ARE, AND YOU ARE ALREADY TOO SICK TO HIDE IT ANY LONGER. IF WHAT I SAW OF YOUR BODY YESTERDAY WAS SIMILAR TO MY SISTERS… I WOULD GUESS THAT YOU HAVE A FEW WEEKS LEFT AT MOST IF YOU DID NOTHING MORE THAN REST, AND WERE NOT POISONED AGAIN."_

Gina trembles slightly, and feels Natsu's arms tighten around her middle. She glances at him without turning her head, and she can see the question in his eyes.

"She says that the instances of a human contracting the illness are rare," Gina lies, knowing her own elemental poisoning may become too hard to hide very soon. "They have only been seen when a human who was already weakened by illness or extreme injury was exposed."

Natsu's grip suddenly tightens around her middle and he walks backwards several paces, pulling her with him. The sudden concern she can feel radiating from him is nearly overwhelming.

"You shouldn't be here…" he whispers in her ear, then looks over and shouts, "Erza! We need to get moving."

Erza's eyes widen as they look back at her as well, then she gets a determined look on her face and begins barking orders. "Alright everyone! Gray, Lucy, Wendy, Carla and I will stay here with the nymphs and help them begin preparing for the move. Wendy, we will be depending on you to help ensure that every Fairy Tail member remains in top health. Gray, you will be responsible for helping treat any poisoning as best as you can without weakening yourself. Loke, do whatever needs to be done to access the information on the closest nymph colony location. As soon as you've found it, we will send word to the second team on where they're headed. The second team will be Natsu, Happy, Gina, Ming, Levy, Gajeel and Panther Lily. Your first task will be to collect the reward money from the current job from the town Mayor. Then, you will proceed to the water nymph colony with the request for adoption, and inform them the nymphs are already being moved. Loke, please inform Dalma that this agreement will require them to return the missing men to the town before departure."

" _IS THAT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM?"_ Leo asks Dalma.

" _NO,"_ she replies, " _MOST OF THE MEN ARE SPENT ANYWAY. WE WERE ALREADY MOSTLY OUT OF OPTIONS BEFORE YOU ARRIVED. HOWEVER, THERE ARE A FEW WHICH MIGHT WISH TO STAY WITH US. THEY'VE… GROWN RATHER ATTACHED."_

" _YOU SHOULD EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT THEY ARE BOUND TO SECRECY,"_ Leo explains, " _I CAN HELP YOU DRAFT AN AGREEMENT SIMILAR TO AEGINA'S IF YOU WOULD LIKE. I WOULD RECOMMEND THEY RETURN TO TOWN FOR APPEARANCES FIRST, AND THEN ACT AS IF THEY ARE LEAVING TOWN FOR OTHER REASONS, BEFORE JOINING YOU ON THE ROAD."_

" _VERY WELL,"_ Dalma agrees.

"She does not have a problem with that," Leo translates for Erza, "but a few of the men may rejoin us on the road later."

"If that is their choice, I have no objection," Erza nods in agreement. "Natsu, you and Gina go on ahead and begin packing Team 2's belongings back at the hotel."

"Sure thing," Natsu says, beginning to tow Gina away by the hand.

Gina wishes she could get a final word in, reminding Dalma to keep her promise not to reveal that they can assume human forms, but there isn't a good way to do so. Instead, she follows Natsu without objection.


	26. Chapter 26 - Second Guessing

Levy watches Natsu tow Gina away by the hand and feels her insides twist with the worry she knows everyone else must be sharing right now. _These nymphs had no way of knowing Gina was sick…_ she dreads. _We don't know enough about what we're dealing with yet._

"Loke," she chimes in for the first time, drawing the eyes of the entire group. "Could you ask Dalma for more details about what elemental poisoning would look like in a human if it were to happen?"

Loke turns back to the water woman and makes more of the strange clicking and humming noises they've been communicating with. Then he turns back to her and says, "She says that it is rare enough, that there isn't much known about it. The person will feel ill. A nymph would have visible signs like the darkness you saw in the young woman's body, but that should not appear for a human. The only other thing she can tell you is that it would feel like an extreme burning or stinging sensation."

"But how exactly is Gray's magic treating it?" she asks, desperate for better understanding. "Do they have any documented information, like notes or a book?"

"Nothing like that," Loke replies after some more clicking. "Their own understanding is limited due to reasons they can't currently explain. They only understand that exposure to the person's natural elemental magic seems to serve as an antidote of sorts, but it doesn't actually heal any damage that was done. The nymph, or human, has to have the strength to heal on their own."

"Tell them, thank you," she says, still feeling frustrated.

"Anything else we should ask, Small Fry?" Gajeel asks from beside her, with a sour expression and crossed arms.

"I don't think so," she replies. "We should probably move to catch up with Natsu and Gina."

"Alright then," he says, rolling his shoulders. "Come on, Lily, let's get movin'."

* * *

Gina closes her eyes for a moment to rest. She's seated on the floor of the hotel room, stuffing the last of her stray clothes into her satchel. It's shocking to feel so weak after such light activity, but she reminds herself that it will only get more difficult with time. A small hand on her shoulder startles her out of her thoughts.

"I'm sorry," Levy says in a gentle voice, kneeling down beside her. "I didn't mean to startle you. Do you need help with your things?"

"No," Gina says with a smile and a sigh, "I'm almost done here. Are the boys waiting on me?"

"Actually," Levy says with a grin, "Gajeel and Lily already headed to the train station with the rest of the bags." Suddenly, Levy places her hand on Gina's forehead and then gets a concerned look on her face. "How are you feeling?"

"A little tired," Gina admits, "but I will manage."

"You seem to be much worse since the fever," Levy prods.

"I'll be fine once I am on the train," Gina insists. "It's going to be a long ride back, and that will give me time to rest." Then Gina realizes she has no idea where Ming has run off to. "Ming? Where has he gone?"

"He's with Natsu," Levy replies, and Gina feels betrayed yet again. "He seems pretty worried about you, but Natsu is trying to help him stay positive. At least… that's what we think he's trying to say."

"Yeah," Gina chuckles, "He can't just say what he wants like Happy can." _Thank goodness…_

"I tell you what," Levy says with a warm smile, "I am going to check in with the front desk again to see if the Mayor has finally arrived with the jewel he owes us. Then I'll be back to grab you."

"Sounds good," Gina waves with a sigh, then decides to lie down until Levy returns.

Before she can even shut her eyes, however, Leo suddenly appears across from her in a bright flash of light. His appearance is dazzling, even for a celestial spirit, but his expression is dark. Gina can't tell if there is more anger in his eyes, or more pain. The pain doesn't make much sense to her in the current circumstances.

"After collecting some additional information from Makarov," he begins, sitting down on the floor in front of her slowly, "you won't actually be here to confess at the end of the mission… will you?"

"I might," she replies with a weary sigh, frustrated that he knows her plans. She can see the judgment in his eyes. "You heard Dalma, after all. She thinks I may have a few weeks left in me."

"I don't understand why you would do something like this…" Leo whispers.

"I'm tired, Leo," she tries to explain. "Haven't you ever been tired before? Haven't you ever just… wanted it to be over?"

"Look at me," Leo urges, putting a finger beneath her chin.

She does so willingly, knowing that the exhaustion will shine through clearly. Leo examines her expression, and his eyes fill with pity. She hates the expression, but is genuinely too tired to fight back anymore. Then his eyes close, and his expression fills with pain.

"I don't have any room to criticize you," he chokes after a moment, "because I tried to do what you're doing once myself."

Gina can feel the shock on her own face. "Is… is that even possible for a celestial spirit?"

"Yes," he nods. "It happens when we spend too much time in the human world. I had been banished from the celestial world and was doomed to die because I had caused the death of my keyholder. At first, I didn't want to die, but I didn't want to live with the pain either. By the time the end finally came, I was desperate for peace. I didn't want to be saved."

"I'm so sorry," Gina mumbles, feeling fresh tears on her cheeks. "What happened?"

Leo tells her the story of his salvation. He explains how Lucy realized the truth about him and fought for his life, and how she refused to leave him even at the cost of her own. He explains the Celestial Spirit King's decision to make an exception, and allow him back into the spirit world. Now he is Lucy's spirit by choice as well as allegiance for her own sacrifice.

"Don't you see Gina?" Leo suddenly begs, gripping her upper arms. "Look at my life now. I'm happy! I have everything I could ask for and more. I owe this guild my life, and could never ask for better, more loving friends. You could have that too…"

"And then I will watch them all die, just like you will," she says with pain in her voice. "How can you bear that again and again after so long?"

"It's not the same when they've lived full, happy lives," he argues.

"Gavin was happy," she argues back. "It still tore my heart from my chest."

"Look me in the eyes and tell me, right now," he says, drawing her eyes to his instinctively, "that you feel nothing for Natsu Dragneel."

Gina flinches away from him as if she's been slapped, and Leo growls in response. "It's too late," she whispers.

"It can't be," Leo argues. "I'm a celestial spirit, Gina, I feel love as well as you do."

"He doesn't love me!" she roars back.

"He's well on his way there, and you know it!" Leo shouts in frustration. "Maybe you think he's just this way with everyone. Trust me! I've known Natsu for a very, very long time. He chooses to love people freely unless they give him a reason not to. That is true. But I've barely seen him with you for more than an hour at a time, and that's long enough for me to see the difference. He's fiercely protective of you. You can feel the affection. I know you can! And any _human_ could see that he's more than a little attracted to you physically. Do you honestly think it's not going to hurt him when…"

SLAP!

Leo stares at Gina in shock, and she throws a hand over her own mouth in surprise. She just slapped him as hard as she could in the face. She hadn't even thought about it. She'd just done it; desperate to make him stop hurting her with his words.

"I'm so sorry," she chokes. "Please Leo, I am begging you to stop."

"Why?" he asks in a whisper.

"It is too late," she says with a tremble to her voice. "Even if Natsu loved me with all of his heart… trying to sustain my life force without being my Sire, when I am this weak already, could kill him. Then I would simply continue on and die anyway. He would have died in vain, Leo. I have made my choice, and now I must die with it. I will _not allow_ him to become my Sire simply to save my life. I have no interest in his self-sacrifice. You are also _not allowed_ to tell him who I am, what I am, or anything about the biology needed to save me. I know that you don't agree with my choice, but you have no right to take it from me."

* * *

Natsu stares at the irate little ferret, frustrated at his inability to communicate and wishing yet again that the little guy's scent didn't make him queasy. Ming is running around the train car, twirling around in little angry balls of rage and chittering like mad.

"What the heck's gotten into him?" Gajeel asks as he stows a bag in an overhead compartment.

"Beats me," Natsu sighs. "I'm sure he's as freaked out as I am about how sick Gina is though."

"Hey guys!" Levy calls with a wave from the far end of the car.

"Is Gina with you?" Natsu asks, worrying because he doesn't see her.

"Yeah," Levy nods in response. "I asked the conductor to put her in the next car over with one of the small private rooms. There's a bed in there where Gina can lay down to rest for a while. She seemed to have a hard time with how far she's had to walk today."

"Did you check her temperature?" Natsu asks.

"Yes, and it was strange," Levy says with a concerned expression.

"What do ya' mean, Short Stuff?" Gajeel asks.

"She definitely wasn't too warm," she says with a shrug. "If anything, she seemed a little chilly to me. But… I've never taken her temperature before, so, I can't really be sure. I wish they would have had a book on what to look for, or what remedies to use if she did catch anything."

"Great," Natsu mumbles, running a hand over his face.

"Hey Natsu, they uh…" Levy surprises him with a tiny blush. "The room she's in right now has 2 beds in it. Maybe you should stay close to her, just in case. I can take the room across the hall with Gajeel and Lily."

Natsu nearly grins at Gajeel's sudden look of interest and fear, but then shakes his head in disagreement. "No way," he argues. "As soon as this torture device begins moving, Gajeel and I are done for. I won't be of any use to her like that. You'd be much better for keeping an eye on her."

"But what if she does have the elemental poisoning?" Levy asks.

"Just tell her what to pay attention for," he argues. "The stuff those water chicks told you about. If she says it starts to feel that way, I'll try and see if I can… I don't know. Figure out how to help without burning her. But if it's not that, and it's like it was before, then being around me could be worse, and could start up the fever again."

"Okay," Levy finally agrees. "I see your point. You guys had better get ready then, the train is going to pull out soon."

Natsu lets out an involuntary whimper of dread.

* * *

"Gina?" Happy asks with a quiet voice, watching the woman standing in the doorway of Gajeel and Natsu's room.

They've been moving for more than a full day, and even Gajeel finally caved a few hours ago to the motion sickness. Now both dragon slayers are lying in their beds and groaning in a semi-dazed state. Happy awoke just a few minutes ago to see Gina standing there, watching them with slightly hollow-looking eyes.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," Gina whispers in response as she turns to leave. "Go ahead back to sleep Happy."

Happy lifts into the air and follows her out into the hallway. He lets her get a little distance away before whispering, "Wait!"

Gina takes a seat in a chair beside the window, across from their small private rooms, and turns back to him. "Do you need something?"

"Why were you standing there?" Happy asks. "And where is Ming?"

"Ming is asleep back in my room," she smiles, "and I was… wishing I could help them."

"That would make Natsu really, really mad," Happy retorts.

"Yes, I know," she says with a roll of her eyes, "and I am too weak now anyway."

"Why…" Happy asks timidly, "why won't you tell us how to help?"

Gina just stares in silence out the window and doesn't respond.

"Do you… not want to live?" he finally asks. He knows Natsu would be furious with him for asking her directly, but it seems too serious to go without an answer anymore. For a long time, it seems like Gina is going to continue to ignore him, until she sighs.

"I honestly don't know what I want anymore, Happy," she says as a tear runs down her cheek, "but I, uh…" she swallows hard, "I'm not sure anything could be done now, even if I did."

"Natsu…" Happy's voice trembles, as his eyes fill with hot angry tears, "wants you to live Gina, and… so do I!"

Gina holds her hands out to him with a sad smile, and he hops up into her lap; pressing his tears into her stomach. She pets the fur on his head gently and whispers.

"Have you been with Natsu when he's lost people before, Happy?" she asks quietly.

"Yeah," he chokes. "Lisanna… we all thought she was dead for a long time before she came back from Edolas."

"What did Natsu do then?"

"He… made an extra gravestone for her out by the hut they built to hatch my egg in," Happy remembers with more tears. "He used to go and visit her sometimes, and talk to her. Sometimes it made him quiet, and sometimes it made him mean - even to Lucy." Happy is surprised to feel tears begin to drop down onto his fur from Gina's face above him. "We missed her so much, but… I tried to make him happy again. It was better when he was out on missions, and it got a lot better when we found Lucy."

"It sounds like he was very lucky to have you," Gina whispers. "and he's gonna need you to be that friend for him again someday."

"That's not fair!" Happy shouts, backing away from her and pleading with his eyes. "Lisanna didn't want to die! She tried her hardest and got sucked into Edolas. If Natsu had been on that mission, he would have helped! He could have saved her!"

"Shhhhhh…." Gina whispers, putting a finger to her lips. "I'm sure he could have."

"He can save you too," Happy whimpers, "I know he can."

"It would not be fair of me to give either of you false hope," Gina sighs, wiping the tears from her eyes. "And whether it is me, or someone else… Natsu will have to bear losing someone he loves again someday. It's a natural part of life, Happy. Hopefully, he will only have to face that pain a few times before he grows old and dies himself, but it will happen for both of you, one way or another. As his friend, just stand by him like you have before. Give him a little room when he gets grumpy. Let him have space when he needs it, but don't leave him alone."

"I'm not the one abandoning him," Happy retorts, jumping back down onto the floor and heading back to Natsu's room.

* * *

Happy's words torment Gina as she lies back down in the small bed of the private room she's sharing with Levy. Levy is sound asleep.

 _ **I'm not the one abandoning him…**_ Happy had accused.

 _Is that really what I'm doing?_ Gina wonders.

She'd never thought of it as abandoning him. Natsu was getting along quite well in his life before she'd shown up in Fairy Tail. He'd been boisterous, and rowdy; cocky and adventurous. Now he was morose and irritable; insecure and plagued by worry. She has no doubt that her death will affect him negatively because her very life is already doing so.

 _Surely, my death will begin the healing that sends him back towards his normal life,_ she tries to assure herself.

She absolutely hates that her resolve is faltering this close to the end. She finds herself questioning her decision more and more at every turn, and it's becoming harder and harder to argue the sense of it with everyone around her. She isn't sure how much of that is motivated by thoughtful reflection, and how much of it is driven by the starvation of her body.

Happy had caught her drooling; waging war against herself and nearly losing the battle in holding back from Natsu. Her body aches in a constant agony now. It is as if every tissue and every bone is crying out to be held, and loved, and rescued. She wonders idly if starving humans feel this desperate when looking at a piece of meat.

She'd stood there and imagined, a bit wildly, what Natsu's response would be if she suddenly admitted the truth to him. She tried to imagine his face as he struggled to understand that she needed him not just to care about her, but to really love her. She'd imagined him looking faint as she tried to explain that the only hope was to get her pregnant, so that her body would draw from his in greater measure. She'd very seriously considered not telling him at all, and simply seducing her way into his bed as her mother had done to her father. One of the only things that had kept her rooted to her place in the doorway was the look of sheer nausea on both he and Gajeel's faces.

 _I can't do this!_ Gina scolds herself, wrapping her arms around her body against the pain, and trying to settle on the thin mattress. _I will not be my mother! Natsu deserves better!_

But then the questions begin plaguing her mind again. _What does he actually deserve? The truth? The choice? How could he possibly ever want hundreds of children? Why would he ever choose to suffer so many deaths over so many lifetimes?_ Her mind's eye torments her further as it plays with the images of what the children he could Sire might look like. _Would he think they were beautiful too?_

She simply cannot bear any more questions, so she places her own fingers at her temple, and forces sleep magic into her tissues.

* * *

Levy shrieks in surprise as she rolls off of the small bunk bed across the room from Gina.

"Ouch," she chuckles as she listens to the train whistle blow loudly, announcing their arrival in Magnolia. "Geez… you think the engineer wasn't paying attention?"

She picks herself up off the floor and then looks over at Gina who is pressed in close to the wall and still silent.

"Gina?" Levy calls again, stumbling over to sit on the side of the bunk. She presses her fingers against Gina's throat and feels a very faint pulse, but it's incredibly weak. "Oh God… Gina wake up."

Levy begins shaking Gina's shoulder, but she won't rouse from her sleep. Levy can feel tears begin to pool in her eyes, and she turns to scream down the hallway. "GAJEEL!"

Ming pops his head up from the nightstand beside the bed. He runs over to push his body beneath Gina's chin briefly and then tears out of the room down the hallway.

"GAJEEL! NATSU, HELP!"

* * *

Gajeel catapults himself out of the bed and feels his body slam against the wooden door frame as a wave of nausea threatens to drop him down on his knees.

"LEVY?!" he calls, feeling his heart hammer inside his chest at the sound of the fear in her voice.

"What's goin on'?" Natsu slurs from his bunk, rolling off onto the floor and beginning to drag himself towards the same sound.

"I'll find out!" Panther Lily shouts, transforming into his battle cat form and running down the hallway to the other private room.

Ming enters the room at the same time as Lily exits and runs straight to Natsu. He is screeching and chittering like mad, pulling at Natsu's scarf with his teeth and claws.

"Gina…" Natsu mumbles, with his eyes clearing from nausea slightly, only to be replaced by fear. He drags himself further with one arm towards the doorway. "Happy, wake up!"

Gajeel begins moving, forcing his limbs to cooperate as the nausea begins to fade. "Levy!" he calls again.

Levy darts out of her room and begins running towards him with tears in her eyes. "She won't wake up! Gajeel, she won't wake up, and I can barely feel a pulse!"

"But she's alive?" he asks, trying to swallow down another wave of nausea, and feeling only slight relief.

"Yes, but I don't know what to do!" Levy wails.

"We have no way of knowing what's wrong with her," Panther Lily declares, walking up to both of them with Gina hanging limp in his arms. "I suggest we get her to the guildhall as quickly as possible."

"They'll need the old hag," Gajeel realizes, knowing that Fairy Tail always calls on the old hermit, Porlyusica, for medical help. "Happy!"

"Yeah?" Happy calls, flying out of his room.

"Bring Gina straight to the guildhall, and get the old man," Gajeel barks. "I'll get Natsu. Lily, you and Levy head to find Porlyusica. Bring her back as quick as you can."

"Right," Levy nods, leaving the train car immediately with Lily.

"Hey, you!" he barks, grabbing one of the train staff by the shirt collar as the man squawks in fear. "Put our bags in a holding area! We have a medical emergency. We'll be back for them later!"

"Y-yeah…" the sad looking little man nods.

"Gina…" Natsu slurs again, and Gajeel looks over to see that he's clawed his way halfway out of the doorway. Ming is still pulling on his scarf.

Gajeel grabs the kid and slings him over his shoulder. The smelly little ferret runs up Gajeel's other arm, and he fights the urge to wretch for a whole new reason. He sets a fast pace, for the guildhall and can only pray they make it in time, and that the old hag will have some idea of what to do.

* * *

"MASTER!" Makarov hears Happy's small voice scream as the door of the guild hall flies open. "Master Makarov HELP!"

"Happy?" he asks, as he suddenly realizes the person Happy is carrying is not Natsu, but Gina. "Good heavens! What is going on?!"

Mumbled voices from across the guildhall begin to rise up and comment on the commotion.

"She won't wake up!" Happy cries.

"Take her into my office!" he orders, and Happy obeys. "Lie her down on the large table in there! Porlyusica!" He glances around to see his old friend already headed their direction with a scowl.

He heads into his office behind the old woman and sees Happy sitting on Gina's chest and slapping his little paws on her face.

"Gina, wake up," the little blue cat begs. "I'm sorry for what I said! Just wake up!"

"Where is the young hot-head?" Porlyusica asks, beginning to check Gina's current state.

"Gajeel's bringing him," Happy says, looking up with teary eyes. "The train just stopped, so he's real sick."

The rest of the guild members are beginning to crowd around the office door, trying to get a glimpse of what's going on.

"Go get him," Porlyusica orders. "Everyone else, GET OUT!"

Everyone scatters at the sound of her voice, and Happy flies right back out the door. Once the door is closed, Makarov puts a seal on the door preventing sound from escaping or anyone else from entering.

"What's happening, Porlyusica? Talk to me," Makarov insists.

"What do you think?" she spits, running over to the cabinet and pulling out a white sheet from some of the medical supplies they keep stashed there. "The young fool is starving herself to death."

"Mavis help us…" Makarov mumbles, "I did not imagine she could fade so far so fast."

Gina looks as if she is barely clinging to life in comparison to the last time he saw her. She has dark circles beneath her eyes, her skin is so pale it looks nearly translucent, and her hair feels as rough as old straw. Nothing of the beautiful young nymph queen who entered his office just a few short months ago remains.

"I suspect she's been poisoned," Porlyusica mumbles, pulling a small vial from her bag.

"Poisoned?!" Makarov shouts in shock. "How?"

"You said she was using Gray's magic to reduce her temperature, correct?" she asks, dropping a small droplet of liquid from the vial onto the skin of Gina's wrist. Makarov watches a tiny black spot develop beneath the liquid before disappearing again.

"Yes," Makarov confirms. "She didn't seem to think it was harmful."

"Well, it may not be normally, but it is now," Porlyusica says. "She has elemental poisoning; a condition unique to elemental beings at the end stages of life. Water, Ice, Lightning, Earth, and even Air magic will all be toxic to her. Based on her deterioration, I would assume she was exposed in some kind of large quantity on the mission, or she just continued poisoning herself with Gray until she collapsed."

"Are we truly too late?" Makarov asks, not wanting to face any of his children with such news.

"We may not be… but I'm not sure how to convince your fire mage to help in the right way," she sighs, wiping the sweat from her brow. "His fire magic could cure any poisoning, but this may not even be poisoning anymore. It may just be starvation without any means of healing."

"Just tell him what he needs to do," Makarov orders.

"And how do you suggest I do that without explaining what she is?" the old hag grumbles.

"He doesn't need to understand," Makarov argues, "Just get him to…"

BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM!

"GRAMPS!" Makarov hears Natsu scream through the door. "LET ME IN, DAMMIT!"

Makarov releases the seal on the door and Natsu, Gajeel, Happy, Ming, Panther Lily and Levy all storm inside.

"I grabbed Levy and Panther Lily too when I saw that Porlyusica was already here!" Happy explains without being asked.

"How is she?" Levy shouts.

"What do you need?" Gajeel asks, still supporting Natsu against his side.

"EVERYONE SHUT UP!" Porlyusica screams, and everyone seems to hold their breath. "I need other clothes for her to wear."

"I have her bag!" Levy replies, bringing it over.

"I need something that lets me see as much of her skin as I can," the old woman explains, beginning to hang the sheet.

"Ummm… she has a bikini in here…" Levy mumbles, beginning to dig for it.

"That will work," Porlyusica confirms, beginning to remove Gina's clothes.

All the men in the room turn around suddenly, facing their backs towards the awkward moment without being willing to leave.

"While we work on this," Porlyusica orders, "You brats tell me what happened to cause this. In fact, tell me everything that happened on your mission."


	27. Chapter 27 - Life Support

Natsu struggles to finally stand on his own two feet as Gajeel takes the lead in the storytelling. Gajeel explains most of what happened on the mission; including Natsu first encountering the fire woman with the elemental poisoning in the woods. Natsu blushes like mad, but won't interrupt because the details could be important. Levy pipes in with more detail when they get to the conversation with the ice golem.

"They said a human could catch elemental poisoning if they were already weakened by illness or injury," she explains. "We didn't realize until that moment that Gina was in danger, but it was too late!"

Porlyusica pulls out a small vial and again drops a small droplet of liquid onto Gina's wrist. The small black spot appears and disappears just as quickly.

"They said it would look black!" Levy suddenly shouts, pointing to Gina's wrist. "Do you think that's what she has?"

"Most definitely," the old woman mumbles with a sad expression.

"Then what do we do?" Natsu asks.

"Simple," Porlyusica says, narrowing her eyes at him. "Cure her the way you did for the fire nymph in the woods."

Natsu feels his eyes practically bug out of his head, and his throat is suddenly dry. "I can't do that!" he shrieks. "You must have a potion in there or…"

"Potions would take weeks!" she scolds. "Do you care whether she lives or dies?"

"Of course I do!" he shouts back, "but I… I can't!"

"You did…" Gajeel grumbles with a raised eyebrow, "tell us everythin'… right?"

"Don't give me that look!" Natsu screams with a blush. "If I did to Gina what that nymph wanted me to do, I would broil the skin right off her body!"

"If you cannot use open flame," the old woman continues, "just push the fire magic to just beneath the surface of your skin. Can you do that?"

"Yeah, I think so," Natsu mumbles, feeling incredibly awkward about the entire idea. _What will Gina think?_

"Very good," Porlyusica nods, "Take your clothes off."

"What?!" he chokes in shock.

"Uhhhh… you know what," Gajeel says, scratching his chin, "I think the rest of us should go get our bags, right Lev?"

"That sounds like a very good idea," Panther Lily agrees.

"Ummm…" Levy says, looking down at Gina. "I'm gonna stay here with Gina. Do you think you could bring my bag back to my apartment?"

"Sure thing, small fry," Gajeel shouts with a wave; already on his way out the door with Panther Lily and Happy.

"I think it is unwise to deviate much from the cure you've already seen work in practice," Porlyusica finally answers Natsu. "You must try to repeat it as precisely as you can. I have not treated elemental poisoning before myself, but what I have heard in the past has lead me to believe that the direct contact with the skin is important."

"Oh geez…" Natsu mumbles with a blush, realizing that Ming is tugging on his pants leg again with his teeth. "I can't believe this."

Levy turns away and closes the office door as Natsu first takes off his overcoat and tosses it aside. He pulls his scarf off from around his neck and ties it around his head instead, like a bandana. Then, with a huge blush, he slips off his pants until he's standing there in nothing but his boxers and scarf.

"If it's any consolation," Levy giggles without looking at him. "I see Gray in his underwear all the time."

"Yeah, well I'm not an icy freak," Natsu gripes back. "Now what?"

"Young man," Porlyusica scolds, "Am I really going to have to coach your every move?!"

"Hey don't yell at _me!"_ he scoffs. "I don't wanna get slapped later for just trying to help!"

"That's why I stayed," Levy says, finally turning to face him, but keeping her eyes - thankfully - above his waistline. He also doesn't need a punch to the gut from Gajeel. "That way I can tell her exactly how everything turned out when she wakes up feeling better."

"Right…" Natsu says, swallowing hard and looking down at Gina again. His chest aches just looking at her. She looks like any breath she takes could be her last. "I don't…" he struggles. "I don't know how to do this with her unconscious."

"How did the fire nymph do it?" Levy asks.

"She crawled up in my lap…" he explains with a blush.

"Okay then…" Levy mumbles, looking around the room. "Let's use a chair!"

Natsu picks Gina up off the wooden table carefully, suddenly all too aware of how much of her skin is touching his. He also realizes she feels like ice.

"She's freezing!" he says to the old woman in panic.

"Well, Makarov told me your magic increases her temperature anyway," Porlyusica replies with a nod, "so this should only help that."

Natsu walks over to sit in Gramp's chair. At first, he considers sitting Gina across his lap more modestly, but then he remembers his encounter with the nymph and realizes he'll only be able to grip her the way he needs to if she is seated like the other chick was before. So, he sets her to one side facing him, and then slowly draws her leg across his lap until she's straddling him and leaning against his chest. He looks over at Levy with an even deeper blush, but she just gives him a nervous thumbs up.

Now he tries to focus on what Porlyusica recommended. He's terrified of burning Gina while she's too out of it to tell him. He closes his eyes and concentrates his fire magic just beneath his skin. He can feel his eyes shift into their serpentine form, and he opens them again to glance down at his skin. He can see the faintest trace of steam rise off of it briefly, and he can feel the fire coursing beneath it, but he sees no response in Gina.

"This isn't gonna work," he groans. "With the chick before I could literally see the poison in her body. I could see it disappearing. I can't see anything on Gina's skin at all."

"Just repeat the movements you remember," Porlyusica urges him.

He sighs and sits forward, resting Gina's head on his shoulder as her now smoky-black curls tumble down his back. He realizes they've lost some of their color as well as their luster. He takes his hands and begins trailing them down the muscles of her back, across her broad hips, down her legs and all the way to her little ankles. He brings his hands back up her legs, pressing in harder against her lower back so that her upper body presses more closely against his, and then draws his hands down her arms to her wrists. Levy makes a movement which catches his attention from the corner of his eye, and the incredibly deep blush on her face makes his hands falter.

"Pay attention!" Porlyusica scolds.

"Hey, why don't you try it!" he bites back without thinking.

"Look young man…" the old hag suddenly sighs, sitting down in another chair across from him. "Why are you helping Gina in the first place?"

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" he asks in fury, beginning to move his hands again. "She's my friend, and a member of my team!"

"And she's going to die," Porlyusica says without flinching, and his hands stumble again. "Did you see that? You're losing your concentration. Why did you help the nymph?"

"I didn't want her to die!" he yells, nearly trembling.

"Master," Levy whispers. "I don't understand what this…"

"Hush child," he mumbles back.

"And you don't want Gina to die, right?" Porlyusica keeps pressing with her grim expression. "So focus! Use all the reasons that you don't want Gina to die to help you!"

 _All the reasons?_ Natsu thinks, feeling like he's been punched in the gut.

He can see her now in his mind's eye, laughing at Lucy from across the small table in her apartment. He sees her walking through Mapleton in her gorgeous copper evening gown and spiky heels. He sees her relaxing next to him on the banks of the fishing lake, watching the water with a somber expression. He remembers the fire in her eyes as she challenged him in the woods. He remembers how her body felt pressed against him as she refused to let go, and how delicious she tasted when he kissed her in front of the ice golem. He can feel her icy skin against him now, and he can't breathe. He grits his teeth against the tears in his eyes and begins moving his hands again.

 _I wish that stupid fire woman had been her instead!_ he thinks angrily. _Was she already sick then, from the fight?! You can't die like this Gina! You can't!_

He presses his face into the crook of her shoulder and neck, breathing deeply of her purer scent to try and calm himself and hide his own anguish. His hands tremble as they move across the smooth muscles of her back, but he can feel the magic beneath his skin more acutely now. He can actually feel a slight pull against it, and it's coming from Gina. It's as if she's drawing power right from his body. He didn't remember feeling that with the nymph, _But maybe it's different with a human..._

"I think it's working," he chokes out.

He keeps his eyes shut, and focuses harder. He remembers the beautiful little nymph in his lap, and he mentally puts Gina in her place. He lets his memory take over reality; no longer caring whether Gina will slap him for it later. He only cares if it works. His caress of her body is no longer timid, but desperate. He holds her tightly against him, pressing every inch of his chest and belly against her soft skin. He grips her sides, her thighs, her calves, and even presses against the bottoms of her feet. He slides his face against the skin of her shoulder and neck, wishing to God he could taste her mouth the way he had the stupid woman in the woods.

 _Come on, baby!_ he begs her in his mind. _Wake up! Wake up and hit me if you want! Just wake up!_ Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realizes that he's mumbling to her aloud, and he presses his lips against her collarbone to shush himself.

He can feel power leeching out of his body intensely, and it leaves him feeling a bit lightheaded. He can only assume that it's a good sign, so he keeps moving and keeps all of his attention focused on her completely.

 _I can do this, Gina!_ He screams inside his head. _I'm not gonna let you die!_

* * *

Levy clenches her fists at her sides to keep from trembling. She doesn't want to move or do anything to distract Natsu, but his obvious desperation to help Gina is making her want to scream. Porlyusica's words to him had seemed so cruel, but somehow it seems to have helped. She's not sure how his desperation is helping him channel his fire magic… but she doesn't care.

 _I just have to keep myself from crying like a little girl!_ she internally scolds herself. _That would definitely be distracting._

She doubts Natsu even realizes he's been mumbling for a short time. She wishes she hadn't heard it. He was begging her to wake up; not to die, not to do this to him. He'd called her 'baby' multiple times - a pet name she couldn't even really imagine Natsu using before. As she watches his hands move, however, she idly wonders if Natsu has taken lovers before and Levy has just incorrectly assumed him to be inexperienced. She glances down at Makarov, sees a tear on the old man's cheek, and realizes she's not the only one who heard Natsu's private promises. Levy understood that Natsu liked Gina before, the whole team did, but now she's terrified that he's actually truly falling in love with Gina. Even if she doesn't die now… she will eventually.

Gina's index finger on her right hand twitches, and Levy feels every muscle in her own body freeze. Natsu hadn't felt it, and his hands keep gliding over her body like a lover's would do. Then suddenly, it happens.

"Natsu?" Gina whispers weakly.

Natsu rips himself back suddenly to look into her face, which Levy can't see, and he smiles broadly before saying, "Gina?! Baby, oh my God! Thank the…" then his expression morphs back into panic as Levy launches herself towards them. "Wait, baby, no! Wake up, Gina! Come on. No, no, no, no… Don't do this!"

Porlyusica has her hands on Gina's throat in an instant. "Her pulse is much stronger!" she shouts at Makarov and then feels for Natsu's, "but it's putting too much of a strain on him."

"Bull shit!" Natsu screams, pushing Porlyusica away and pulling Gina more fully back into his lap. "I just need more time. Come on, Gina..."

But Levy can see what Porlyusica means. Natsu looks exhausted, and he hasn't even been at this for very long. "What's happening to him?"

"Makarov!" Porlyusica shouts.

Makarov reaches out and slaps Natsu in the back of the head, and Natsu goes limp; slumping back in his chair with Gina slumped against his front. Levy shrieks in surprise. "What did you do that for? What the hell is going on?!"

"It would seem that Gina's body is trying to draw Natsu's magic into itself to repair whatever damage has been done," Porlyusica mumbles with a weary sigh.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Levy asks in complete confusion.

"In small doses, it's fine," Porlyusica replies with a stern look. "But your magical energy is your life force. If she takes it all, it could kill him before her own illness kills her."

"Oh God," Levy mumbles, looking back at the haphazard couple. "What do we do?"

"We need a better place to keep them for now, without separating them for too long," she explains.

"I don't even know where Natsu lives," Levy admits sheepishly, looking at Makarov.

"I'm not sure Natsu would appreciate that being their first stop anyway," Makarov grins. "I think he'd like the chance to tidy up the place first. Do you think Lucy would mind using her apartment?"

"I know she wouldn't," Levy agrees. "At least for a little while."

"Very well, then," Makarov nods, "Find Gajeel and Panther Lily to help us move these two over there. Porlyusica and I will get everything together that we need."

* * *

Natsu wakes up slowly, feeling like he has a hangover. Well, he's heard Cana complain about having hangovers a lot, and it sounds an awful lot like this feels. His head aches, his body aches, and he feels strangely weak. Suddenly, there is a strong grip on his shoulder.

"Easy, Salamander," he hears Gajeel's gravelly tone cut in from beside him.

"What's going on?" Natsu asks, squeezing his temples against his headache.

"Looks like being a human antidote took a lot out of ya," Gajeel chuckles.

"Gina," Natsu whispers, suddenly remembering shoving Porlyusica away to try and keep her from taking Gina from him. _She was almost awake!_ Natsu moves to jump up from his seat, and suddenly feels Gajeel grab him from behind with his arms locked around Natsu's own and up behind his head. "Let go of me!"

"Not until you hold still!" Gajeel orders. "You're not gonna do her any good half-dead like you are now. Just think about it!"

"She was almost awake!" Natsu barks back. "I'm not gonna let her die!"

"She's not even here you idiot!" Gajeel argues.

"Huh?" Natsu asks, glancing around and realizing he's sitting at the bar in the guild hall, and he's fully dressed again. "Where the hell did you put her?!"

"Natsu!" Mirajane's feminine tone cuts in and he glances over to see her stern expression. "Sit down!"

"Fine," Natsu sighs, sitting down on his stool and waiting for an explanation.

Mirajane shoves a plate full of food and a couple of lit torches at him and then continues with, "Eat. Now."

Natsu obeys with a small glare at being bossed around by someone he considers an older sister. As soon as the food hits his tongue though, Natsu realizes he's starving.

"You need to listen to Gajeel, Natsu," Mirajane scolds, "or we're not going to tell you where Gina is."

Natsu shrugs. _I'll just follow my nose…_ he thinks to himself.

"Look, Salamander, this is serious, and we need to have a game plan," Gajeel gripes from beside him. "The old hag says that whatever you did worked like a charm for savin' Gina from the worst of the poisoning, but you can't keep it up. And don't try to bullshit me. I know you're drained. You hardly even put up a fight just now. If you were your normal self, you would have at least taken a swing at me for gettin' in the way."

Natsu had to acknowledge that was true. He feels terrible. "So what now?" he asks with his mouth full.

"Hopefully this will get you back on your feet," Gajeel sighs, "and then Porlyusica can explain more when we get you over to Lucy's."

"Lucy's?" Natsu asks, realizing he should have assumed that.

"Yeah," Mirajane pipes in again, "Master Makarov didn't think that the table in his office was a very nice place to keep her long-term."

"Long-term?" Natsu asks, suddenly feeling dread well up in his stomach.

"Gina's not awake," Gajeel responds instead, "The old hag seems to think it's possible, but… she's not sure. And she's not sure how long it will take. Remember, she was already…"

"Yeah, I know," Natsu cuts him off, not wanting to be reminded that Gina is dying anyway. He still doesn't believe there is nothing they can do. "But she was almost awake in there. I _almost_ had it."

"You _almost_ got yourself killed," Gajeel argues. "Your fire magic is your life force if you deplete it low enough. You know that."

"I know," he concedes, "But I didn't expect her to soak it up so fast."

"Yeah, well," Gajeel says with a shrug. "You've got to take it easier from here on out. If you die, Gina's screwed."

Natsu swallows hard, nearly choking on his food. Gajeel is right. He wants to help her, but he can't help her if he lets himself get too weak. He's gonna have to pay close attention. _But it already took all of my attention to do it right! Damnit!_ He still has no idea why or how it even worked.

"So… I'm gonna have to be helping patch Gina up for a while, huh?" he wonders aloud, glancing at Mirajane with a slight blush.

"Yeah, what of it?" Gajeel asks.

"Maybe Lucy's isn't the best place," he dares, suddenly remembering how much of a wreck his house is, and almost taking it back.

"Oh?" Gajeel replies with a smirk. "You have a better idea?"

"My cabin is fireproof," he explains, "and so is everything in it. But it's also a disaster area. I'd need some time to, uh… clean up."

"Makes sense to me," Gajeel shrugs. "You go deal with whatever you've got goin' on over there. I'll go talk to Levy and Master Makarov about it."

"I'll lend you a hand," Mirajane pipes in with a slightly evil grin, and Natsu shudders in fear.

* * *

Natsu stretches the sore muscles of his back, looking around with a very pleased expression at the transformation his cabin has undergone. He thought Mira was going to kill him when they'd first walked in. He had completely ignored the dishes before he left to chase down Gina, so the smell alone had been awful. Mira had transformed into the She Devil just to flap her wings and push the smell out of the house. His laundry was now piled nearly to the ceiling in his small back room, and he'll have to find time to do it. _Or maybe bribe Happy into it…_

The cabin isn't really clean now, but it's at least livable. If he has to pace himself with his exposure to Gina, maybe he'll find time to clean in-between. _Right…_ He also thinks that if he has to listen to one more "A gentleman behaves" or "If you even think" speech from Mira, he's just going to die of either embarrassment or annoyance. Hopefully, Gina will wake up quickly and it will all be pointless anyway.

About an hour ago, everyone finally arrived with Gina and her things. Seeing her again had sobered him instantly. She still barely looked better than the corpse she had been when they'd rushed her to the guildhall. Nothing about her appearance would have convinced him that he'd helped her at all, but Porlyusica had been adamant that the drain he'd felt on his magic proved that he had helped heal her in at least some small way. Now Levy, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Ming, Happy, Mirajane, Makarov, and Porlyusica are all crammed in his tiny cabin, trying to get Gina and her things settled into his space.

They decided to place Gina in his bed, as Porlyusica had explained that contact with his skin would still serve to expose her to his fire magic more directly; even if he wasn't focusing it beneath his skin like he'd done before. She explained that now that Gina has been exposed, if she ever did wake up she could still get poisoning again if her overall health did not improve to prevent it. The thought of sleeping next to Gina makes him nervous in a weird, stupid kinda way. But he's willing to do whatever it takes to make her healthy again.

"I would recommend having additional people here to help out, at least during the day," Porlyusica comments.

"Sure, whatever," Natsu shrugs, slipping his overcoat off over his head again, and hanging his scarf on his bedpost. He walks over to his bathroom and closes the door to slip on a pair of real shorts. "Happy is here with me most of the time anyway. But what are we gonna do about the job?"

"Lucy's spirits got word to me a short time ago about where you can find the closest water nymph colony," Makarov explains. "I recommend that Gajeel, Levy, and Panther Lily continue on to that location and complete that portion of the job. You are needed here with Gina, and I believe the rest of your team can handle things from here."

"So you don't think Gina will get better quickly, huh?" Natsu can't help asking again as he emerges from the bathroom wearing only his shorts.

"Young man," Makarov says with a creepy grin, "If you'd rather be with your team, I can see if another fire mage here at Fairy Tail would be willing to…"

"Not a chance," Natsu spits in irritation, then feels a bit embarrassed by his own jealous outburst. The idea of Macao or little Romeo lying next to Gina made him want to hit them, but he hated seeing the knowing smile on Gajeel's smug face. "They'd have no idea what they were doing. Gina's part of our team, and Erza, Lucy and Gray would expect me to take care of her. That's just what I'm gonna do. I was just hoping she would get to help out with the mission. That's all."

"Even if she wakes up," Levy pipes in, "She will probably need to take it easy for a while."

Natsu nods in agreement, but doubts he will be able to convince Gina of that. He glances at Gina in his bed again, and his heartbeat quickens with worry.

"Why is she making that face?" he asks, rushing over to look down at her. Gina strangely doesn't look any more awake than she did before, but her face is drawn in a tight grimace. She's also not lying in a relaxed pose anymore, but seems to be curled in on herself.

"I would guess, based on her posture," Porlyusica says, "that her body is in pain. But there is no real way to be sure."

"Does that mean the poison isn't gone?" Levy asks.

Natsu climbs into the bed next to her and pulls her into his arms. She's stiff as a board, and he pushes his fire magic to the surface of his skin again quickly.

"There just isn't a way to be sure," Porlyusica sighs.

 _Come on, baby,_ Natsu thinks to himself. _I'm right here… I just need to figure out…_ but then he can feel the slight pull against his magic again. He's about to comment on it when Gina suddenly shifts.

"Whoa," Gajeel mumbles as Gina begins moving on her own, and several people reach for her.

Gina turns and presses her face against his chest and suddenly clings to Natsu's body like a lifeline. In an instant, she's got her whole body pressed tightly against him and her face relaxes.

"She must be able to feel the fire magic," Mirajane comments in an awed voice. "It must be helping with the pain."

"Well, that's good at least," Levy agrees.

Natsu awkwardly maneuvers to prop a few pillows up behind his back and leans back to settle in with Gina beside him. It's going to be weird lying here with her death grip on him. It's also totally freaking him out to be in such a weird situation with half his family as an audience. Not to mention Ming, who is lying inside of Natsu's scarf - hanging from his bedpost - and staring him down with his beady little eyes.

 _Great… I'm never gonna get that smell out._

"You need anything before we take off, Salamander?" Gajeel asks, rolling his shoulders and popping his neck.

"Nah, I'll be fine," he replies dismissively. "Just let us know how everything went when you get back."


	28. Chapter 28 - Next Steps

"So how bad is she?" Mirajane hears her brother Elfman ask from over her shoulder.

"Pretty bad," she replies, loading the last bit of food and drinks into the baskets she plans to bring over to Natsu's. "To be honest. She almost doesn't even look like the same woman. Her hair is a dull smoky color now. Her skin looks so pale it's almost see-through, and her lips are bluish. No one seems to know how much of it is her illness, and how much is from the poisoning. They also don't know how much Natsu may even be able to do to help. Master Makarov said she may never wake up, but they had to get Natsu to back off or he would have died."

It's been four days since the group first arrived back in Magnolia. Gajeel, Levy and Panther Lily left right away for the water nymph colony; which everyone had mistakenly spoken about in front of Mirajane. Master Makarov explained the importance of the secrecy around water nymphs, or she supposed all kinds of nymphs, and that she even has to keep the secret from her siblings about the true mission.

Mirajane has been bringing Natsu's meals directly to his house. He's spent most of his time lying beside the young woman and talking to Happy, herself, or Gina; though Gina never responds. It worries Mirajane how weak he looks when he gets up to take a break. He tells Mirajane that he is keeping his fire magic barely banked beneath his skin to try to help, but it still seems like it is somehow exhausting him. Before she left, Porlyusica had been adamant that they intervene and remove him from Gina's presence entirely if he seems to lose his strength completely at any point. Mirajane could never have imagined a type of magic poisoning this severe before, but the elderly medicine mage explained that Gina's original illness worsened the situation dramatically.

"Man," Elfman spits in a near curse. "I thought things were bad before, but this… this is really bad news."

"How is Natsu taking it?" Mirajane's little sister, Lisanna, chimes in with her high-feminine voice from Mira's other side. Her slender, nearly elvish-like features are drawn in worry beneath her snowy white hair.

"I'm not sure," Mirajane says with a sigh. "He's acting like he's okay, but…"

"But what?" Lisanna presses.

"I keep catching glimpses of him when he thinks I'm not looking," Mirajane admits. "He looks so lost. It's a lot like he was after we lost you, Lisanna, but different somehow. He was angrier then. Now he just seems desperate and confused."

"Maybe I should go talk to him," Lisanna offers. "Maybe I could get him to open up a little."

"I don't know, Liss," Elfman mutters. "The poor guy's heart's already taken a beating. I know you guys used to be close, but that may not help him now. Natsu's been stepping up like a Real Man a lot lately; especially around Gina. But I don't really want to think about how he's gonna take it if this doesn't work. When you died… or when we thought you did… Natsu was furious with himself for not being there. If she dies like this then he…"

"We know, Elfman," Mirajane agrees, not wanting to imagine a Natsu who was both present and powerless at such a time. "But if that day comes, we're going to have to help him through it."

"Do you think he loves her, Big Sis?" Lisanna asks with a worried expression.

"There's no doubt in my mind, Lisanna," Mirajane agrees. "It's too plain to see now. I'm not sure what kind of love it is, but somehow he's become close enough to her that I think he would take the loss as seriously as Gray, Erza or even Lucy."

"Then let me go with you," Lisanna pleads. "Let me try. I know I can help."

"Alright," Mirajane agrees.

* * *

"Well," Gray sighs, leaning back against the pillows on his small bed in the private train car, "I guess we can rank this up in the list of weirder jobs we've picked up, huh Luce?"

"Yeah," Lucy smirks. "You can say that again. I just wish… ugh nevermind."

"What's that about?" he asks, lifting his head and hating how weak he feels without even having been in a fight. He's already stripped down to his boxers, but it's just Lucy, so he doesn't care.

"Nothing," Lucy sighs. "Just lie down, Gray. You need to rest before we get to the next town."

She tries to scoot past his bunk, but he reaches an arm out and catches her around the thigh; halting her movement. She tries to bat his hands away with a blush, but he moves as quickly as he can manage to pull her down onto the bunk with him. She makes a small squeak of protest, but it's half-hearted and he muffles it with a kiss.

"Gray," Lucy sighs, pulling away and rolling her eyes. "This is not resting."

"No, but I think this is much better," he chuckles, kissing his way down her pretty throat. He smiles as he feels her relax against him, and even arch up into his hold; pressing that gorgeous, soft chest of hers against him. "Now… what did you wish?"

"I wish those stupid water freaks would keep their slimy hands off you!" Lucy finally spits before blushing, and Gray can't help but laugh.

"Yeah, well that makes two of us," he agrees.

"Oh yeah," she gripes with another roll of her eyes. "I'm sure it's such a hardship."

"Luce," he says, suddenly sitting up away from her and feeling nervous. "Look, I uh… I've got to admit somethin' but I don't want you to freak out."

"Freak out?" she asks, backing away from him on the small mattress, and getting those big eyes she gets when she's already freaking out. "Why would I freak out?"

"When these chicks first captured me, they uh…" he swallows hard, calculating in his head how to cut her off if she tries to bolt. He doesn't want this looming over his head anymore. "They used some of those charm spells on me, ya know. Like they were using on all the other guys."

"Uh huh…" she mumbles, not even blinking.

"I didn't know what the hell was going on, or even where I was," he tries to explain. "I thought I was trapped in some kinda nightmare filled with crazy Juvias or somethin'. I didn't recognize the charm spell for what it was when they tried to uh…" Her eyes go even wider, but he's determined to be honest. "Ya know… seduce me."

"You know…" Lucy replies in a weak voice. "I don't think I want to have this conversation right now."

She gets up and starts to bolt, but he catches her by the wrist and refuses to let go. "No way, Luce. Come on! You have to let me explain."

"Nope," she shakes her head in denial. "They're dying. We promised to help them. It's not going to help them if I find creative ways to kill them, Gray. It's just not."

"I didn't sleep with them, Lucy," he pleads. "You have to believe me. I'm tryin' to be honest about what happened because I love you, damnit!" Lucy stops trying to pull away and takes a look back at him. He hates the look of uncertainty in her eyes. "I swear to God, babe, I wish I had figured out what was happening sooner, but I didn't have sex with any of 'em. Ever."

"Fine," she trembles, pulling her hand away and sitting back down on the edge of the bed to hear him out. "What really happened? Please, don't leave anything out, because I only want to have this conversation once."

He starts from the beginning, and when he very first caught the sound that tipped him off to their presence in the woods. He explains waking up in the dark room with multiple voices around him, and not even realizing that his mind was being altered from freaked out to completely infatuated. He admits with a grimace how far the encounter went before he realized what was happening, and how he snapped himself out of it. Lucy now has a pout to her lips that he absolutely hates.

"So you, um," she says, wringing her hands, "realized she was using a charm spell. That's good, Gray. I'm happy you figured it out."

"Please don't be upset, Lucy," he begs.

"I'm not upset," she lies with a false grin. "I've been tricked by charm spells myself. You know that. It's how I met Natsu, when he snapped me out of one from that fake Salamander creep. I'm… glad you figured it out on your own."

"It wasn't all on my own, Luce," he admits with a small smile. "You saved my butt back there."

"Me?" she asks, meeting his eyes for the first time. "What did I have to do with it?"

"The chick made a big mistake," he says with a smirk. "She told me to make love to her. All of a sudden I could see you lyin' there on my bed back home. You were so pretty. I remember when you told me you loved me, after that first time. The illusion shattered, because I realized I couldn't make love to anyone who wasn't you. Not anymore. I love you, babe."

"I love you too," Lucy whispers with a small smile, as a single tear rolls down her cheek.

Gray leans forward slowly, giving her the chance to push him away. He kisses away the small tear and then pulls her more fully back into his arms. Lucy kisses him back more timidly than normal, but he coaxes her with his lips and his hands until he can feel her passion override any pain she might be feeling. God, he loves the taste of her. He could get drunk off of it.

He lies her back against the small pathetic mattress, bringing his body to hover over her own. He kisses his way down the soft skin of her throat, and his hands begin working at the ties on her shirt.

"Make love to me, Lucy," he begs. "I want you. Not some sick lie."

"But they'll hear us…" she whispers with a giggle and a blush, referring to the rest of the team in the room beside them, and maybe even the flock of water women hiding in the next car.

He devours her lips and tongue again hungrily and presses his body against her; letting her feel how much he wants her. Then he gives her a devilish grin and whispers in her ear, "Then you'll just have to be really quiet."

* * *

"I don't like the look of this place one bit," Gajeel grumbles, crouching down low and sniffing the air again.

Everything here smells really wet like it did back in Atlantia. He wishes that would give him more assurance that they are in the right place. Unlike before, this location isn't anywhere near a town. They're at least a couple of dozen miles away from where they left the train station - a station in the middle of nowhere to begin with. They'd gotten off the train first thing this morning, and had now pushed deep inside the wilderness. Panther Lily had been flying with Levy so that Gajeel could run without her falling behind, and they could gain ground faster. They were somewhere north of the river between Capital Crocus and the southern coast of Fiore. Fortunately, they didn't have to cross the continent or anything; so, getting the other nymphs here shouldn't be too hard.

"All I see is forest," Levy comments as Panther Lily sets her down gently.

"No, I see what Gajeel means," Panther Lily counters. "Everything here looks too crisp, too clear. I would guess there is some form of illusion magic being used here."

"So what do we do now?" Gajeel wonders. "Did Kitty Cat give any indication of how to say hello?"

"YOU HAVE MY ATTENTION ALREADY," a deep base voice booms from all around them, then dims slightly. "Only those who seek death venture into these woods. Have you come to drown your sorrows?"

Great… Gajeel thinks, rolling his eyes. A guy with a cheesy sense of humor and death threats. Just another day in Fairy Tail… Wait a minute! This clown speaks our language!

"Please sir," Levy asks, projecting her voice out into the woods around them. "We humbly request an audience with the colony that lives here. We are in need of your aid."

"ONLY A FOOL WOULD SEEK HELP IN THIS FOREST!" the voice booms, again. "IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIVES, YOU WILL LEAVE THIS PLACE NOW!"

Gajeel suddenly hears a great sound of rushing water coming towards them, and pulls Levy back behind him. Then he hears trees beginning to fall to the ground with a thunderous noise.

"Panther Lily!" he shouts, "Get her out of here!"

"NO!" Levy screams, suddenly clinging onto his back. "I'm not leaving!"

Panther Lily's eyes go wide, and Gajeel turns to see a mile-high wall of water racing towards them.

"Holy shit…" Gajeel breathes, trying to think of where to run.

"The water nymphs are going to DIE IF YOU DON'T HELP US!" Levy screams from his back. "SHIELD!"

Suddenly the word shield appears all around them like a thick pane of glass in a large bubble, made out of script magic - Levy's forte. Gajeel knows it's not going to be enough.

"Iron Barrier!" he shouts, sending up an iron wall within Levy's bubble, and hoping to reinforce it before they get crushed to death.

They all brace for impact, but none seems to come. Gajeel can still hear the water roaring outside, but with both barriers in place they can no longer see. Suddenly, water begins to come up from the ground within the bubble and form into the shapes of a few water nymphs.

"Take down the barrier, Levy!" Gajeel orders, doing so himself as well.

When he turns to run, however, he realizes the wall of water now completely surrounds them. They are trapped in a massive circle. The wall parts slightly, allowing a single form to walk through the massive wave. Gajeel gives Panther Lily a signal to rip Levy out of there if he gives the word, and his friend - now in full man-sized battle cat mode - nods in agreement.

The man walking towards them is massive; at least as big as Elfman. He is wearing black pants, tied securely at the ankles, with simple sandals and a long, black, hooded cloak. His upper body is bare beneath the cloak, and he has some kind of massive tattoo running along the entire right side of his body, including part of his face. It looks like some kind of wave pattern with water droplets or tears resting at the end of each stroke. He has deeply tanned skin and blonde hair. His green eyes are cold, and Gajeel tenses; seeing that the man will not hesitate to kill them if it suits him.

"Please, Sir, I beg you," Levy says, jumping down, but Gajeel refuses to let her get too far. He pulls her back against his chest. "Are you the father of this colony? Are you a water nymph?"

The man cocks an eyebrow in obvious surprise, then narrows them at Gajeel once more. "If you do not know the answer to these questions, child, why have you come?"

"We seek the aid of the father of the water nymph colony that lives in these woods," Levy explains quickly. "We have only been given very limited information from a group of young water nymphs who have asked for help. They said they need to seek adoption. And I'm not a child," she adds, making Gajeel want to roll his eyes and grind his teeth. "I'm just… small."

"You expect me to believe that story?" he chuckles darkly. "I am nearly five hundred years old. You are all children to me. You would be wise not to count me for some wavering fool, who will swallow any story you spin."

FIVE HUNDRED years old?! Gajeel's mind reels in shock. No way! "Don't take us for idiots either!" he spits back. "You expect me to believe that you were alive since before the time of the great wars? Give me a break! You're just a human. I can smell it on you! So, where is these chicks' dad huh? We need HIM! Not YOU!"

The man suddenly looks unsure as he stares back at them. "Why did these nymphs not come to us on their own?" he asks instead.

"They're very sick, sir," Levy explains. "They said that without their father, they have been getting sicker for many years. They are suffering from something called, elemental poisoning. They did not know how to find you. When our guild discovered them, they asked for our help. One of the members of our group spoke their language and helped us translate."

He raises his eyebrow in interest yet again. "What language do they speak?"

"I don't know…" Levy suddenly says with a tremble of fear in her voice. "They didn't say. She was using a translation token, but it sounded like a strange clicking and humming sort of noise. I… I can't really describe it well. I…"

Suddenly the nymph standing to their left begins making the noise.

"That!" Levy shouts, pointing to her. "It sounded just like that."

"And why is this member of your group not with you now?" he asks, folding his arms in front of him in obvious suspicion.

"She became ill when she came in contact with them," Levy explains. "She was… too ill to continue on any further. They explained that the elemental poisoning could be contracted by a human who was too ill or injured. We did not know that until it was too late, because Gina had already been terminally ill before we arrived in the town."

The man looks very unconvinced.

"Look, wise guy," Gajeel grumbles. "Enough with the 20 questions. Are you gonna help us find the guy or what? As it is, we're gonna be lucky if they make it here."

"I am the man you seek," he replies, puffing out his chest and glaring. "My name is Elrick, and these beautiful women are but a few of my daughters."

"Bullshit," Gajeel practically laughs. "You're human! I'm a dragon slayer! You can't beat this nose, bub."

"Of course, I'm human. All nymph Sires are human, you idiot," the man sighs in his deep base, surprising and irritating Gajeel. "You obviously don't know the first thing about their kind."

"There is an agreement between our guild and the nymph peoples to keep your secrets as we learn them," Levy pipes in again. "But you're right. We know very little. I'm sorry for our ignorance, but we had very little time to act. The women are dying."

Elrick's spine stiffens and Gajeel realizes the news sincerely distresses him. "How many nymphs are there, and where have they come from?" Elrick asks. "If they didn't know how to find me, how did you? Who was their Sire?"

"What is a Sire?" Levy asks.

"Their father!" he shouts, getting more agitated by the second. "Sire means father. Like me! Who was he?"

"We don't know," Levy sighs in frustration. "There are a little more than 20 of them, if none have died since we left. They're coming from Atlantia."

The man steps back, eyes flying open wide. "Atlantia…" he breathes. "Dearest waters… they've been alone for that long?"

"Did you know their father?" Levy asks.

"Of course I knew Damion," he spits. "But he's been dead for more than… 16 years now. Good heavens. I believed they were all dead."

"Sixteen years…" Levy breathes. "Wait, are you saying… Is the man from the mansion Damion? H-he had markings like that… just above his collar in the picture! But the women in the photograph were human, they were rain…"

Elrick seems to recover from his shock and his eyes narrow in distrust. "Rain women?" he asks.

"That's what the book said, but I," Levy mumbles. "I don't understand."

"You don't need to understand," Elrick replies as coolly as a snake. "You just need to bring them here. What have they promised you in return for your help? And how did you find me?"

"They promised us nothing. We offered our aid when we understood their situation. It was the right thing to do," Levy explains. "One of our guild members is a celestial wizard. The nymphs asked us to speak to the celestial spirit Leo, so he could help translate for the other group who is escorting them. He found the location of this colony from the celestial archives, and said he could tell us because of the contract Fairy Tail has in place already."

"Fine," Elrick grumbles. "I will have to see this contract when he arrives. How far behind you are they now?"

"Three or four days," Gajeel replies. "They're moving a bit slow to keep out of sight and transport the sick. Are you going to be able to help them?"

"If what you claim is true, then yes," Elrick nods. "I will adopt them as my own and set to healing them as quickly as I can. But hear me well, dragon slayer. If I believe that any of you mean us harm, or have harmed them… If I catch a single trace of a nymph hunter's trap, or betrayal in your actions… I will kill you all, and sleep peacefully in my bed."

Wonderful… Gajeel dreads.

* * *

Lisanna knocks on the front door of Happy and Natsu's little cabin in the woods. After hearing Natsu call a faint response, she pushes the door open and strolls inside with Mirajane. Before they left the guildhall, they'd packed three baskets of food; trying to account for how much Natsu eats when he isn't helping heal someone. Now he will probably eat even more. They carry the baskets over to the small kitchen table, and then Lisanna makes her way towards his bedroom as Mirajane begins to unpack.

"Natsu?" Lisanna calls, hesitating before entering.

"Hey Liss…" he mumbles. "Come on in."

As soon as she lays eyes on him, she pauses and notes how much he has changed. He looks exhausted, with dark circles beneath his eyes. His body seems to look the same in build and color, but she can't shake the feeling that he looks sicker somehow.

She glances down at Gina next. She doesn't look quite as bad as Mirajane made her out to look. Her hair isn't smokey-colored, but just a dull black. Her skin looks frail, but not really translucent. Her lips do look pale, though. The beautiful woman is curled up in Natsu's bed as if she'd simply fallen asleep there after a lovers tryst. Her cheek rests on the center of his chest, and his arms are around her tightly. He has his own cheek pressed tenderly against the top of her head, and his eyes remain closed. The sheet on the bed is pulled up to Gina's shoulder, and therefore the middle of his chest.

Oh my goodness… she thinks in concern. It's only been a couple of days. I'm not sure he can keep this up.

"Oh dear," Mirajane suddenly breathes from beside her, and Lisanna scrambles to catch the plate of food she's carrying before she drops it in apparent shock.

"Did he look like this when you saw him last?" Lisanna whispers to her older sister, taking the plate back to the table instead.

"Look like what?" Natsu grumbles without opening his eyes.

"Natsu, get up. Right now," Mirajane orders instead of answering either one of them.

"No way," he objects, lifting his head to glare at her.

"Get up!" Mirajane shouts, ripping the bed sheet away from them; revealing Natsu in his favorite pair of red shorts, and Gina in a black and red bikini.

"What the hell, Mira?!" he shouts back, scrambling back from her with Gina in tow. "What is your problem?!"

"Lisanna, help me," Mirajane orders. "Get Gina away from him. Do it now!"

"Both of you back off!" he shouts, holding up a ball of fire in his hand.

"Natsu, it looks like Gina is making you sick," Lisanna tries to reason with him; walking up and trying to grab ahold of the frail young woman. She grabs Gina's arms, but he gives up on the fireball idea and clings to Gina instead.

"Who gives a crap?!" he shouts in disbelief. "She's getting better!"

"Have you been doing what Porlyusica said not to?" Mirajane scolds. "She told you not to repeat whatever you did in the Master's office, you know that!"

"I didn't!" he shouts, looking offended. "I haven't needed to! I can feel her pulling from my magic now, and I'm not even keeping it on the surface, damnit!"

"Then you need to take a break," Mirajane reasons, and Lisanna is shocked to see Mira pry Natsu's arms apart with very little effort.

"Natsu! Look at how weak you are," Lisanna begs. "Mira's not even trying!"

"Shut up!" he screams, losing his grip on Gina as Lisanna pulls her body away from him and against her own. He angrily turns his arms red hot, and Mira lets go of his arms with a yelp. "Give her back Lisanna!"

"Do you care about her, Natsu?" Lisanna asks instead, cradling Gina's head against her shoulder.

"Of course I do," he spits with a completely confused expression. "What does that have to do with…"

"We will give her back, Natsu," she says slowly and calmly. "After you have taken a break. If you keep fighting us, she's just going to wind up hurt. You trust me, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, but," he tries to object weakly.

"And you trust Mira too, right?" she continues to lead him.

"Yeah," he begrudgingly admits.

"Then go over to the table, and get something to eat. Please," she asks. "You need to recover some of your magical energy. They said that someone who was too weak could catch the illness, right? What if you make yourself so sick, that you end up with the poisoning too? You won't be able to help her at all then."

Natsu's eyes go wide for a moment, before he replies with, "I didn't think of that. Sorry, Mira."

"It's fine," Mirajane sighs. "Just go eat."

Natsu struggles to get up from the bed and over to his kitchen table. Once there, he plops down and begins eating. At first, he just picks at some of the food, but soon he begins eating like a man dying of starvation. Lisanna lies Gina back down in the bed gently and covers her body with the bedsheet so she doesn't get chilled. After all, she's not wearing very much. After a moment, Gina moves, pressing her face against the mattress as if she's searching for warmth. Lisanna gasps in mild surprise. She looks over at Natsu and he's paused, staring intensely at Gina for a moment before going back to eating.

"She's moving more," Mirajane notes with a surprised smile.

"Yeah," Natsu mumbles around a mouthful of food. "She's been doing that for a few hours. I hope it means that she'll wake up soon."

"Where is Happy?" Mirajane asks, looking around the room. He was supposed to be the one chaperoning them.

"I sent him out to the store," Natsu replies with a shrug. "He was whining because we didn't have any fish in the house. I also told him to get some chocolate."

"Chocolate?" Lisanna asks, watching Gina stir faintly again.

"Yeah," he says with a faint blush. "I'm gonna melt it. I figure if she's moving she might be able to smell. Chicks love chocolate. I thought maybe it would get her to wake up."

Lisanna and Mirajane both burst into a fit of giggles, but rush to agree that it's a good idea when he looks irritated and embarrassed.

"Is it true that you and Gina have been getting along better?" Lisanna asks, trying to learn more about how his attitude towards the woman has changed. It's obvious that it has.

"Oh yeah," he says with another shrug. "I didn't get how much of what she was doing before was because I was making her sick. I do now, so I've been more careful. We got a couple of chances to talk on the trip, and next she was mad at me for being careful. She's pretty much mad at me no matter what I do," he laughs, "but I know she trusts me too. I helped, uh… save her butt a couple of times; like I've done for Lucy before. She knows now that I'm there to help when she needs it. But now… geez. I don't even know what to think about everything. Before I was making her sick, but now I'm making her better. How the hell am I gonna know if it switches back?"

"Porlyusica says it never will," Mirajane says, watching Natsu carefully.

"Huh?" he asks, dropping his fork. "How does she know that?"

"She said that Gina wasn't doing the right thing before in trying to correct her temperature," Mirajane explains. "Apparently, her fire magic is acting out beyond her control, but fighting it was never the right thing to do. It won't harm her. It's just inconvenient. Using Gray the way she was, though…"

"I don't get it," Natsu admits with a bland expression.

"Porlyusica believes that using Gray the way she was," Mirajane continues, "was actually making Gina sicker. You were never making her sick. Her body was trying to boost itself somehow; which is probably part of what it's doing now. She said there is no way to tell whether what's happening now has more to do with the poisoning or Gina's original illness. She also said that Gina's original illness could have even led to this on its own if she hadn't encountered the nymphs who were already sick. It's just rare, I guess."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" Natsu rages, slamming his flaming fist against the table top. Then he starts ranting with flames all over his body. "GRAY WAS MAKING HER SICK THE WHOLE TIME, AND I COULD HELP, AND I DID THE EXACT OPPOSITE?! GOD DAMNIT GRAY, I AM GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS! DO YOU THINK GINA KNEW THAT?! THAT CRAZY, STUPID… ARGH! I AM GOING TO SHAKE SOME SENSE INTO HER WHEN SHE WAKES UP, AND SHE IS NEVER GONNA GET RID OF ME AGAIN! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! SHE SHOULD NEVER HAVE EVEN GONE ON THAT STUPID JOB IN THE FIRST PLACE! WHY I'M GONNA..."

"Natsu!" Lisanna shouts, interrupting his temper tantrum.

"WHAT?!" he shouts, looking at them again.

"Don't be mad," she says with a smile. "I don't think Gina or Gray, or anyone else, did anything to hurt her on purpose. Just think of how you felt when you thought you were hurting Gina. Gray is going to feel the same way pretty soon."

Natsu swallows hard and simmers down from enraged to annoyed. "Yeah, whatever. Popsicle boy should never have lied to us in the first place. Hey Mira… did Porlyusica say what Gina's sick with? I mean what she had when she got here."

"No," Mirajane sighs. "She said she cannot say. She was privileged to the information so she could treat Gina properly, but she still has to respect Gina's wishes."

"So she's still dying…" he mumbles.

Mira nods in confirmation with sadness in her eyes.

"Well I'm not givin' up," Natsu shrugs, starting in on his third plate of food. "I refuse to believe there's nothing we can do to help her. Especially if there's a chance my fire magic can help more than just the poisoning."


	29. Chapter 29 - Truce

Natsu's body is humming with pleasure as he begins to feel himself being pulled from a deep sleep. There is a delicious weight resting on top of him. It's warm and soft, and sliding smoothly across his skin. He's struggling to breathe right as he suddenly realizes he's being kissed; very seriously kissed. He opens his eyes in shock and realizes Gina is the one kissing him. She has her little hands around the back of his neck, and her thumbs against his jaw. There is just enough moonlight streaming in through the window to see her dimly.

What the hell?! his brain screams, but he just kisses her back for a moment. She tastes just as delicious as he remembers from the fight with the ice golem. Am I dreaming...or dead? Ah hell… if I'm dead this is awesome! Gina's awake and she's… wait.

Next, he realizes he can feel an incredibly strong pull against his magic, and this is really, truly happening. But Gina hasn't opened her eyes even once.

"Gina…" he breaks away to mumble, but she cuts him off with another mind-blowing kiss. He'd heard of people using their tongues like this before, but had no idea until his encounter with the fire chick, and now Gina, that it could make you ache like this. He forces himself to pull back again and choke out, "Gina, what the heck is goin' on?"

She doesn't respond at all, and he suddenly gets a sick feeling in his stomach as he realizes she isn't awake. She probably doesn't even know that it's him she's kissing.

"Oh no," he says, pushing against her shoulders, "Uh-uh. Gina wake up!" He grabs ahold of her knee to stop it from grazing his erection again and making him want to moan. "Gina it's me. Natsu!" She leans in to trace her tongue down his throat and he screams, "Open your eyes, damnit!"

She flinches as if startled, and slowly lifts her head. Her eyes open with a glazed look and she seems to struggle to focus on him. After a few moments, she freezes with her eyes flying wide open. He has just enough time to get a grip on her before she freaks out.

"Wait!" he orders, trying to keep his grip gentle without letting her run for it. "Let me explain. Please!" He's embarrassed to realize he's panting hard and tries to conquer his own strange combination of lust and panic. "Please don't be afraid of me."

"I'm not afraid of you," she mumbles without hesitation, and he realizes she is trying to calm her own breathing as well. "What's… going on?" She glances around the room carefully, "Where am I?"

"We're back in Magnolia," he replies, desperately trying to figure out how to explain everything. "This is my… house. You got really sick, and…"

"And what?" she asks, suddenly looking horrified.

"G-geez… I know this looks bad," he chokes, "but I swear it isn't what it looks like. You got that elemental poisoning from those water chicks. You wouldn't wake up! Porlyusica… our other healing wizard… she said I could help you like I did for the fire chick in the woods. So I…"

"Oh shit," she says, looking wildly around the room. "Where is the light?"

"Natsu?" Happy's sleepy voice calls from across the room in his little cat bed.

"Happy, turn on the light buddy," he orders.

As soon as Happy does, Gina grabs Natsu's face with her hands seeming to inspect him. Ming is staring down at them from the little nest he insists on making in Natsu's scarf, but he doesn't move.

"What have you done?" she whispers. Her face crumples, and he is shocked to see tears begin to leak from her eyes.

"Gina, it's okay," he tries to reassure her. Mirajane and Lisanna had both said he looked like hell earlier today, but it didn't seem that bad to him. Not in comparison to how much she'd changed. It's comforting that he can feel her drawing against his magic even now. "It's not a big deal. I'm just a little tired, and…"

"Natsu, let go of me," she suddenly chokes.

"Gina, it's not his fault," Happy adds in his defense, pawing sleepily towards the bed.

"Are you gonna make me chase you?" Natsu asks.

"Then don't follow me," she counters.

"No way," he argues. "I'm not gonna let you run off out there in the middle of the night in a bikini with no idea what the hell's happened since you blacked out. Not a chance!"

She looks down at herself, and him, in mild surprise.

"See?" he presses as Happy flies out of the room. "There's a whole lot more I need to tell you before you run off."

"Fine. I won't run," she replies. "Just… please stop touching me."

He suddenly feels like he's been gut-punched, but he lets her go immediately. It's a cold, painful contrast to the pleasure a few moments ago; but that wasn't real. He swallows hard and sits up; carefully tucking a pillow in his lap to hide his earlier excitement as she backs up off the bed. After a few moments of incredibly awkward silence, Happy flies back into the room with his bathrobe. Natsu's proud of his friend as Happy sets the bathrobe gently down onto her shoulders.

"Is there somewhere I can sit?" she asks, wrapping it tightly around her.

"Uh yeah," he says, hopping up now that his libido has been completely killed. "Over here."

He escorts her into his living room and over to his couch. As she sits down on one end, he hastily grabs his portable, mini-firepit and lights a quick fire inside it with some wood Happy flies over. He wants her close to fire magic, even if she doesn't want to be close to him. As he sits down on the other end of the couch, his chest aches terribly to see more tears on her face. This is definitely not the version of her waking up that he'd been hoping for.

"Gina, why are you crying?" Happy asks, and Natsu has a sick feeling that he doesn't want to know the answer.

"Can I explain now?" he asks, testily; hoping to avoid hearing it.

"Yes," Gina replies quietly. "Go ahead and explain."

With a big sigh, he starts from as early as he can remember; hearing Levy screaming on the train and trying not to puke his guts out. He explains their flight to the guildhall, and their luck that Porlyusica was already there. He fights his embarrassment as he tells her his account of trying to save her; describing the process in detail in an attempt to be completely honest. He needs her to trust him despite the awkward situation. Then he explains his decision to bring her here, and everyone's attempts to help out while she's been recovering.

Part way through his explanation, Happy flies back off to bed. Gina remains silent throughout, and still as a stone despite the tears that keep leaking from her eyes at random. Then, with another fortifying breath, he feels brave enough to explain how he awoke just now.

"I'm real sorry," he chokes. "I don't know who you thought I was, or whatever. I didn't mean to hurt you, and I never wanted to take advantage of you. I swear. I'm sorry I… touched you."

"Ah…" she whispers, "you think that's why I'm upset."

"Duh…" he shrugs. "You said…"

"Bad choice of words," she replies, cutting him off. "You could have died, Natsu. Did you think of that?"

"Everyone keeps sayin' that," he spits back in frustration, "but I'm not dead, am I? I'm being careful, and I'm not even focusing my fire magic anymore! I can feel your magic drawing against mine without it now. The stronger you've gotten, the less I've even needed to do."

* * *

Gina flinches at his admission and his perception of the situation. He has no idea that his fire magic has nothing to do with her healing. It may have helped stop any remaining poison in her system, but it would not heal her. She wants to crawl in a hole to hide somewhere as she feels another soft wave of his love wash towards her despite his obvious frustration. The flavor of it sets an ache within her starved body to reach for him, and it is all she can manage not to tremble at the strength of her hunger. Sometime between falling asleep on the train and waking up in his bed, he started to truly love her. Her body has been draining his magical energy from him like a vacuum ever since, and would happily continue until he had nothing left. She wishes she knew what tipped the scales in his heart. Whatever it was, part of her wants to kiss it, and part of her wants to kill it.

"How long have I been asleep?" she asks, trying to dry her tears with the sleeves of his bathrobe.

"Uh, just a few days," he responds with a shrug.

Good grief, she thinks in panic looking at him again. He looks terrible, and he hasn't even been exposed that long. Either his love is fierce, or my body is drawing stronger than ever… or both.

"I'm so sorry, Natsu," she whispers.

He looks at her like she's completely crazy. "What for? I told you, I'm fine."

"I can't let you do this," she declares; frightened of the ache in her body building stronger again.

"Good luck stopping me," he grunts.

"You would force yourself where you're not wanted?" she challenges.

"Hell yeah," he nods confidently. "I do it all the time. Just ask Erza. Look, I'm not just gonna bow out now because you're awake. You don't want me touching you… fine. I'll just follow you around from a few feet away and be a human torch." He lights himself entirely on fire for emphasis, and Gina notes with surprise that his couch must be fireproof. "I don't know everything that's wrong with you, but you need fire magic. Don't sit there and tell me you don't! Even if you get better for a while, the Old Hag said you could get poisoning again later if you get too weak. Then you'll need me even more. I'm not gonna walk out on a member of my team, no matter how stupid they're being."

Gina remembers the stories of his stubborn refusal to let Gray or Erza die even when it seemed like a necessary sacrifice, and realizes this is an argument she's not going to win. He already knows too much to try and weave more confusion. She won't even bother with a charm spell, because as soon as it wore off he would come after her like an angry hornet. She decides to try a different approach. She gets up, walks over to him, and begins to sit down in his lap. He extinguishes himself instantly, obviously afraid of burning her, but she can tell that he keeps his fire magic coursing strongly beneath his skin. She feels her own magic struggle to flare at the contact. As she watches his eyes grow nervous, she can feel her body begin soaking up the fledgling love he feels for her in an instant. She places a gentle hand against his face.

"Natsu," she pleads, "do you remember what it felt like when you believed your touch hurt me?"

He flinches and glances at the floor for a moment before saying, "Yeah, it sucked. But Porlyusica said that was never true. I wasn't really hurting you."

"Do you remember how careful you were?" she asks.

"Of course I was careful," he says with a frustrated expression, and she feels another wave wash over her. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"What do you feel now?"

"I feel…" he shrugs, "you pulling against my magic. So what?"

She simply smiles as she fights back tears, and can't bring herself to tell him the truth. It's too ugly and too painful. She jumps from his lap and turns to flee from him, but doesn't even know which direction to head in. In an instant, Natsu's arms are around her and he pulls her back against his chest.

"Don't make me hurt you, Natsu," she pleads. "You know I am. You can see it. You can feel it!"

"Shhhh…" he whispers in her ear, and she fights her body's desperation to melt into him with all of her strength. "Stop freaking out," he chuckles. "It's not painful. It makes me a little tired, yeah. Okay. But it makes you a little stronger. I can live with that. If Erza, Lucy and Gray were here they would tell us to be careful, but not to give up. I'm already trying to be. It won't do you any good if I catch that elemental poisoning crap too, and I know it."

"You can't do this all the time," she argues desperately, "It will kill you!"

He turns her gently to face him with a cocky grin, but keeps his arms around her middle. She's losing her battle with herself and places her face against his shoulder to keep from kissing him like she had done when she'd first woken up to the delicious feeling of his affection. She could soak in that feeling forever until the end, but it would risk his own life in the process, and she won't allow that.

What am I going to do?! she fights her own panic.

He's right. She cannot stop him from following her around and exhausting himself as a "human torch." Even if he isn't touching her now, his feelings are strong enough to aid her even from a distance with her body this starved. What's worse is, she isn't sure she can fight her own body. She knows the pain will come back as soon as he is away from her now, and she's selfish enough to relish the fact that his affection can nullify it. She's not sure she can manage the pain all day and night, without caving and confessing the truth to someone in a moment of weakness.

"I admit it's taken a lot out'a me," he mumbles from above her. "but I've been tryin' to help all day every day since you blacked out. Now that you're awake, I can take breaks or somethin'. What if I only help out during the day? We could figure something out. The clothing thing would be weird. But maybe if you dressed more like Cana…"

"You've been sleeping next to me all this time?" she asks, hoping to steer him in a different direction. Daylight hours would be much more exposure than hours dedicated to sleep and much more time for him to prod her with endless questions.

"Yeah," he says, with that nervousness creeping back in his voice.

"What if we stuck to that instead?" she proposes. "You could still go out on jobs, even if I need to stay here. We wouldn't have to be awkward in front of anyone at the guild, or explain anything. I could just sleep here, and then leave in the mornings."

"You'd be okay with that?" he asks in obvious surprise, as she feels a little flare of lust from him.

"It makes the most sense," she sighs, praying that she isn't signing his death warrant with the idea.

"Works for me," he says, suddenly lifting her into his arms and carrying her back to his bed. "But if you start to get sick like before while we're out during the day, I'll still step in to help."

He sets her on her feet, and tugs the bathrobe from her shoulders without a moment of hesitation; tossing it on the floor. Then he tucks her into his bed and crawls beneath the sheet himself. He lies awkwardly on his side for a moment, and she realizes as he glances at her mouth that he must be thinking about her kissing him only a short while ago. She has to avoid that in the future if she can manage it. She turns onto her side, facing away from him to keep herself from being any more stupid than she already is.

"Uh…" he mumbles. "The Old Hag said that touching your skin was important…"

Of course she did, Gina mentally hisses. "Oh, that's weird," she yawns. "That's fine."

Natsu places a warm arm around her belly and pulls her close, spooning against her back. His breath tickles the top of her ear as he tucks his face above her head. She wonders idly if he has any idea how intimate this particular posture truly is, even as she scolds herself not to turn around and give in to temptation. Gina may never truly sleep again.

* * *

Gajeel takes in as much detail of the layout of this house as he can while walking through its hallways. The place must be huge, but the illusion magic is thick here, and it's obvious that their hosts aren't going to let them see the entire grounds. They were taken in some kind of hidden entrance, and now are being escorted down a long, ornate hallway by a water nymph. There are dozens and dozens of rooms, but all the doors are closed. He never would have believed all this could be concealed by magic.

These freaks are awfully powerful for being so skittish, he muses.

"You'll be staying here until your friends arrive with our new sisters," the watery figure waves as she opens the door to a fairly large bedroom.

"Oh," Levy says before chuckling nervously. "My, what a… nice room."

Shit… Gajeel thinks staring at the single queen-sized bed. No way am I sleeping in that thing with Levy! The idea of sleeping next to her, and smelling her beautiful scent all night long, makes his pulse begin to race.

"Uh, where…" he starts to object, but Levy suddenly throws a hand over his mouth.

"Nevermind him," she laughs nervously, "This will be fine. We'll make due."

"Oh don't worry," the watery woman responds in a cheery voice as she begins walking away. "You two won't have to share with your pet. My sisters will bring a more comfortable bed for him in a little while."

"I'm not a pet," Panther Lily objects in his deep base, from his short, Exceed stature at their feet.

Levy shoves Gajeel inside the door, and he gives her a sharp glare as she shuts it behind them and then leans against it heavily.

"What was that about?!" he barks.

"Shhhh….." Levy says, waving his question away almost wildly, and beginning to rummage around the room. "I need to find a pen and paper. Help me look."

"What for?" he grumbles, sniffing the air. He catches the scent of ink pretty quickly and opens the top drawer of the small wooden nightstand to find a pen with a writing pad. "Here."

"Great!" she whispers excitedly and begins scribbling down notes furiously. He reads her notes from upside down.

SIRE = FATHER (ALL HUMAN!)

WATER NYMPHS NEED FATHER TO SURVIVE. WHY?

FORREST SIRE = ELRIK, HOW OLD?

ATLANTIA SIRE = DAMION, LORD OF MANOR THAT WAS BURNED DOWN

RAIN WOMEN… CAMOUFLAGE? ILLUSION? RAIN WOMEN = WATER NYMPHS?

Gajeel sits up in surprise, then shakes his head in disagreement and points to the last line. "Juvia," he says, keeping his conversation to a minimum since they are probably being listened to. There's no way Juvia's a water nymph and just never told me, he reasons. Then he points to the question about the man's age, and shows five fingers and then makes a zero with his hand twice.

500, Levy scribbles down his answer. Then mumbles, "How is that possible?"

"Beats me," he replies. "Still may not be true, but I doubt we're going to find out."

Levy sighs heavily, and he can tell she's itching for more answers. He loves how smart she is, and especially that thoughtful look she gets when she's trying to solve a puzzle. It makes her look adorable. She gets up and begins poking through the bookshelves. He recognizes the titles of a lot of the human classics along the walls, but he's pretty sure they wouldn't have been put in this room if there was any really useful information in it. Levy jumps back from the shelves after a small knock sounds on the door.

Without waiting for a response, a water nymph enters carrying a very large pillow. She sets it down at the foot of their bed and nods quietly to Panther Lily. Then she walks over to the large antique armoire along the far wall and opens it.

"There are some clothes in here which should fit you, miss," the woman says, motioning to the clothes. Then a second young woman comes in carrying a small suitcase. "And your lover can wear these. They will probably be a bit large on him, but my father is the only male in the house."

Gajeel feels his mouth drop open in surprise. They think we're lovers?! That explains the bed… He keeps his mouth shut this time.

"Oh…" Levy mumbles, seeming to be suffering from shock also.

"My Sire asks that you join him for dinner tonight at 7:30 sharp," the woman says, leaving the room without their answer.

"The nymphs are speaking our language…" Levy mumbles with a thoughtful expression before scribbling another note.

"Well," Panther Lily says, jumping up and down on his pillow bed. "They're surprisingly welcoming if you can manage to survive the first encounter."

* * *

"Open, Gate of the Lion, Leo!" Lucy commands, waving Loke's golden key.

Leo appears in a flash, with his normal cheesy grin. "Hey, gorgeous. How's it hangin'?"

"We just wanted to check and see how everythin' is goin' on the other end," Gray replies instead, shooting Loke a playful glare.

Well… I think it's playful, Lucy suddenly wonders. "Yeah, did you get the information to the rest of the team?"

"Yeah, I managed to get the location to Master Makarov pretty quickly, so Levy, Gajeel and Panther Lily have already headed that direction. They're probably there by now."

"Natsu and Gina didn't go with them?" Lucy asks, finding that odd.

"No," Loke says, closing his eyes briefly. "Gina got too sick. He stayed behind with Happy to try and save her."

"Save her?!" Gray shouts, bolting up out of his chair and clenching his fists. "What the hell does that mean?!"

"Oh God," Lucy breathes. "What happened?"

"From what Makarov tells me," Leo explains. "Gina slipped into a coma before the train arrived in Magnolia. They believe it was the elemental poisoning. Porlyusica had Natsu repeat what he could remember about how he'd helped the fire nymph in the woods, since Gina's natural element is fire. It worked but…"

"But what?" Gray presses.

"It proved to be extremely dangerous," Leo sighs. "Porlyusica and Makarov managed to knock him out before it killed him, because he wasn't willing to back off."

"Yeah, well, that's Natsu for you," Lucy admits with a sad smile. "What are they going to do now?"

"Natsu is still trying to treat her with his fire magic, under supervision of course," Leo says with a shrug. "Meanwhile, the rest of the team headed for the nymph colony."

"How the hell is his fire magic even working?" Gray asks, looking completely confused. "What about her fever?"

"Well…" Loke says, rubbing the back of his head, "see… that's the kicker. The fever is a symptom of her condition, but Porlyusica said it won't hurt her. It's just... inconvenient."

"So she didn't need my magic at all?" Gray asks, looking irritated now.

"Actually… she said that your magic could have caused the poisoning eventually on its own," Loke replies with a grimace.

"IT WHAT?!" Gray shouts, throwing his hands on his head in shock.

"Hold up," Loke replies, holding his hands up in a calming gesture. "Gina probably didn't even know that. It's incredibly rare. So you had no way to…"

"You're saying Natsu was helping her and I WAS HURTING HER THE ENTIRE TIME?!" Gray screams, shoving an icicle through the back of his chair. "DAMNIT!"

"Gray, stop hurting the furniture!" Lucy shouts, running over and grabbing a hold of his shoulders. "This isn't your fault. None of us had any way to know it could be harmful, any more than we thought we understood Natsu having this same problem."

"I wish she would just tell us what the hell is wrong with her!" Gray spits in frustration, flopping back down in the ruined chair. "Did Porlyusica say?"

"No," Leo replies, "Master Makarov forbid it."

"I swear I'm gonna punch Gramps right in the face for this one…" Gray grumbles.

"How is Gina now?" Lucy decides to ask.

"Last I saw her… she looked pretty bad," Loke admits. "They're not sure whether she will ever wake back up or not. Until she does, she's being kept at Natsu's so that he can try to help in whatever way he can. Mirajane is keeping an eye on them."

"Thank God for Mira," Lucy breathes.

"How far are we from the nymph colony now?" Loke asks.

"Just a couple of days," Lucy replies. "We'll be off this train before nightfall. We'll need to make camp outside of town and see if the nymphs need any more healing, but Gray's ice magic doesn't seem to be helping them recover much."

"We'll just have to hope they hold out," Loke agrees with a nod.

* * *

"Well, that was pointless and creepy," Gajeel grumbles, trudging back into their assigned room after dinner.

"I know," Levy agrees, "I actually expected him to give us more information; not just sit there in silence while we squirmed."

"One thing is for sure," he says, watching her make her way back towards the armoire. "These freaks don't like giving out any information unless they're forced to."

"Yeah," Levy sighs, stepping behind the changing screen to change into her pajamas. It's one of those paper-kinds that allows the shape through when back-lit like this one just happens to be now, and Gajeel can't help but stare. "I don't think we're going to get anything more out of Elrick until the other group gets here."

"Ouch," Gajeel hisses under his breath with a glare down at Panther Lily, who just bit him on the calf while giving Gajeel a glare of his own. "Layoff…" Gajeel grumbles. His cheeks heat with embarrassment at being caught staring so blatantly.

"What?" Levy asks, coming back around the changing screen, now fully dressed.

"I said I'll take the floor," he lies.

"N-no," Levy says with a slight squeak in her voice.

"Excuse me?" he replies with a sneer, hoping she'll feel intimidated into cooperating. He isn't going to allow her to sleep on the floor in discomfort.

"You shouldn't have to sleep on the floor," Levy says with more confidence; straightening her spine with a deep breath. "We're both adults Gajeel. I think we're more than capable of sharing the bed without a problem."

Speak for yourself! his mind reels in surprise. The thought of lying in that bed with her all night, smelling her scent, hearing her breathing, feeling her body heat... I'll lose my goddamned mind! "I don't think that's a good idea," he says dismissively.

"And just why not?" Levy asks, looking insulted. "Do I smell bad?"

"Huh?" he asks, nearly tripping over his own boots as he heads for the changing screen. "What the hell are you on about?"

"Well there must be something," Levy says, waving her hand around. "Or have you never shared a bed with a woman before?"

Gajeel slips behind the changing screen, and changes into the pair of lounge pants he's been provided. It's better than what he packed. He decides to go without a shirt to see if Levy backs out. His mind is screaming at him to completely avoid that topic with her. He is NOT going to discuss his various sexual exploits with her; especially not before sleeping in the same room. "That's none of your business Short Stuff," he gripes.

When he steps back out, she looks mildly hurt and he regrets his comment immediately. "I don't want you to tarnish your reputation, Squirt," he tries again instead. "Just think about it. Jet and Droy would probably cry themselves to death at the very idea that I could have touched you - even by accident."

"This isn't about them," she says folding her arms in defiance and causing her breasts to lift above them.

God, she looks sexy when she does that… he mentally groans.

"This is about the mission," she insists. "We both need to be in top shape. We've had lousy sleep on the way here, and this is a chance for both of us to really rest. I assure you, I can keep my hands to myself. I'm not worried about my reputation. All of our friends at Fairy Tail are not going to treat us badly, and my girlfriends would just ask. It's not a big deal."

"I have to agree with Levy," Panther Lily pipes in while curling up on his pillow.

"Nobody asked you!" Gajeel spits at him. He knows damn well how I feel about Levy… the brat!

"That's right!" Levy says as if realizing something. "Panther Lily is with us anyway. He'll be able to verify that we didn't spend our mission time having wild crazy sex. So just get in bed already."

Levy starts to climb beneath the covers, and Gajeel struggles to breathe. He's imagined those words… wild crazy sex… get in bed… coming out of her sensuous little mouth countless times, but actually hearing them was threatening to stop his heart. The context is stupidly disappointing.

"Fine!" he gripes, ripping the covers back and climbing in. He turns his back to her to hide his nearly painful arousal and prays that somehow he will be able to force himself to sleep quickly.


	30. Chapter 30 - Adapting

The next morning, Natsu wakes up to Gina's delicious scent all around him once again. He lies there for a while enjoying it before opening his eyes. After opening them, he glances down at her face. She looks tired, but even better than she did last night. Her skin is beginning to look more natural, and his eyes are drawn down her beautiful body. Gina's turned towards him in her sleep, with her face tucked against his chest and her arm around his waist. She's also balled up their bed sheet to stuff between her knees, so she's barely hidden by her sinful little black and red bikini.

He frowns as he inspects the bikini more carefully. It's one of the kinds that ties on the sides and in back. The knot resting on her hip is leaving an angry-looking mark in her pale skin, and he can't imagine that it's very comfortable. He cranes his neck to see that the knot in back of the top is doing the same thing. He decides quickly that she needs an alternative. It's already hard enough to sleep beside her like this without getting an eyeful of something he shouldn't as she moves around in it. The idea that it could be hurting her, or even just uncomfortable, is enough to decide it has to go. He'll have to find something to replace it with that still allows him access to her skin, but is more up to the job.

She rolls onto her back and stretches as she begins to wake up, and he lets a slightly wicked grin slip free at the sight. He feels his body tighten in appreciation.

 _If this is gonna be my new normal,_ he realizes with glee, _I may be the luckiest man alive!_

He looks at the tattoo on her stomach once again. He'd noticed it the first time at the hot spring in Atlantia, but hadn't been bold enough to ask. Now it's been driving him nuts for days. It's a strange ring of markings around her belly button - an odd choice for a tattoo. He's tried to see if he could make out letters or numbers from any of the markings, but hasn't had any luck. It is very pretty, whatever it is.

Gina lets out a small groan of what sounds like protest, and turns towards him again. She tosses her leg over his hip and pulls herself back up against him with it. Her arm flops down around his neck. She's starting to pull his head towards her, and their noses are almost touching as he says, "Hey sleepy-head."

Gina's eyes flutter open suddenly, and she rolls back muttering a soft, "Sorry."

"It's okay," he shrugs with a blush. Her lower body is still pressed to his, however, and his arousal is now undeniable so he feels the need to choke out a faint, "Just… don't kill me. Please."

Gina surprisingly laughs in response, rolling off the bed and standing. "Why would I kill you Natsu? All men have that problem in the morning; even when they wake up alone. It just means you're a healthy male. You're capable of behaving yourself, right?"

"Well, yeah," he mumbles with an even deeper blush, thankful that she isn't going to freak out and scream at him like certain other women in Fairy Tail have done over the years. "I'm just… used to chicks freaking out about it."

"Well, you won't get that from me," she replies with a yawn, stretching up onto the balls of her feet with her arms above her head. "Where are my clothes?"

"They're in your bag, over by my dresser," he points. "What does your tattoo mean?"

"Tattoo?" Gina responds before rummaging around in her bag.

"The one on your stomach," he says, wondering if she has another one somewhere he hasn't seen. The limited remaining options make his cheeks heat even more as his imagination runs wild.

Her hands go still in her bag for a moment before she replies with another laugh. "Oh, that. Uh, it's a mark all the women in my family carry. An old tradition, you know."

"Really?" he asks in complete surprise. "What for?"

"It's just the mark for our family," she says with a shrug, heading now for the bathroom with clothes in-hand. "We get it when we're very young, so I don't think about it much."

Ming jumps down from his bed, in Natsu's scarf around the bedpost, and skitters after her into the bathroom.

"That's cool," Natsu replies, hopping up to change clothes himself while she's in there. He slips on his new underwear and pants in a flash, but hesitates on putting his overcoat on yet. He also fights a wave of nausea as he wraps his now tainted and smelly scarf around his neck. "It's kinda like a guild stamp for your family then, huh? Does everyone get it in the same place?" Fairy Tail guild stamps can be placed anywhere the wizard wants and in any color.

"Yes," she replies through the door. "That's part of the design."

"Oh okay," he comments and heads into the kitchen. "You hungry?"

A quick glance in the refrigerator confirms that he's completely out of food in the house. He normally eats at the guildhall, so he doesn't keep much but snacks on hand anyway. He wonders if he should change that now that he will be spending more time here with Gina.

"I could eat," Gina replies, heading out of the bathroom and back towards her bag with Ming skittering along behind her. She's now wearing a pair of tight-fitting jeans and a peach-colored tank top. He's admiring the new view from the corner of his eye as he notices her start to fall.

"Whoa!" He leaps over to her side and catches her up against his chest. The look on her face shows that she had started to faint, and she shakes her head slightly as she rouses from it. "Maybe you shouldn't be out of bed yet."

"No," she argues, shaking her head and attempting to pull away from him. "I'll be fine. I'll just take it slow."

"I don't have to be anywhere," he tries again, not releasing her just yet. "No one even knows you're..."

"Natsu," she retorts with a glare, placing her palms firmly against his bare chest. "We talked about this. You agreed to…"

"I know," he bites and releases her. "Excuse me for worrying when you faint after 5 minutes!"

"Let's just get to the guildhall," she sighs. "You're not exactly in great shape either."

Natsu glances at his reflection in the window glass and is surprised to see himself looking like he's been through a full-out battle. _Geez…._ he internally winces. _I DO look like crap._

* * *

"Good morning, Mira," Makarov says in a tired voice as he sits down on the bar top.

"Master, you sound terrible," Mirajane replies with concern in her voice. "Have you been sleeping at all?"

"Not much," he admits. "When is the last time anyone checked on Natsu and Gina?"

"Lisanna and I were there yesterday afternoon," Mirajane informs him with a sigh. "He's losing more energy than I expected. We may have to intervene if she doesn't wake up soon."

"Yes," Makarov grumbles. "Any ideas? That boy's more trouble than a bag of Vulcans."

"I've been thinking about it, but I haven't…"

Mirajane's voice trails off as she notices that the guilhall has gone suddenly silent. They both glance towards the front door, and Mirajane drops the glass she was washing in the sink in surprise. It shatters as it hits the edge of the sink.

"What the hell is everyone staring at?" Natsu gripes with a cheeky grin. He looks exhausted and slightly sickly, but is obviously working hard to make his fatigue seem smaller than it is. "Hey, Mira! Hey, Gramps! Look who finally decided to wake up!"

Happy flies in front of the group and Gina is hanging back behind Natsu by a few paces. Ming is draped ornately around her shoulders as he normally prefers. Gina looks shockingly better than she did just yesterday, but in comparison to her first arrival at Fairy Tail, she still looks as if she is on death's door. Her hair is a dull black and matches the dark circles beneath her eyes. Her skin looks sickly pale and almost weathered in texture. Even her eye color seems to have dimmed from its vivid violet. She can no longer hide the truth of her failing health even if she wants to.

Makarov feels rage boil in his stomach. It is no longer only her life at stake, but Natsu's as well. Makarov still wants to save the foolish creature, but he will not let it cost the life of one of his children. He works very hard to keep his voice calm.

"Well, well young lady," he says in a gentle tone. "You gave us all quite the scare."

"I'm sorry about that," she says softly, sounding sincere. "I was hoping we could have the chance to talk."

"Of course," Makarov replies, hopping down from the bar top and heading towards his office.

Gina turns to follow him, but Natsu catches her by the upper arm. "Hold it," he says. "You should eat first."

Gina leans in close to Natsu's ear and whispers, "I need to sit down."

"Oh," Natsu grumbles releasing her arm. "Go on with Gramps then. I'll bring you something."

Gina follows Makarov into his office and sits down across from his desk as he sits down in his chair. What a different pair they make now than they did during their first conversation. It's painful to consider. They both stare at each other in awkward silence until Natsu comes through the door a few minutes later with a plate of food, setting it down in front of her.

"Thank you," Gina says, waiting for him to leave.

Natsu simply stands beside her, with his arms folded in front of his chest. She makes a face of irritation at him, and brings a fork full of eggs to her mouth. After she's chewed and swallowed her first bite, Natsu looks at Gramps and says, "I take it you guys want some privacy, so I've got some things I'm gonna take care of in town. If she gets bad again, someone from here better come get me or there'll be hell to pay. I'll grab a calling card from Cana on my way out the door, so she should be able to reach me no matter where I am. If that doesn't work, find Warren to use his telepathy. I'll stay in Magnolia."

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Makarov says with a warm smile, ignoring the threatening undertone.

"You take care of her little guy," Natsu says, scratching Ming beneath the chin as he drops down to curl up in Gina's lap. Then as he pulls the door closed behind him he adds a brief, "Later."

Gina immediately pushes away the plate of food, and drops back heavily in the chair; exhaustion etching her features at twice the intensity of before. Makarov weaves a sealing spell over the door before turning back to her.

"I don't even know where to begin," he admits.

"I'm too tired to argue," Gina says with a groan of pain.

"What is your true condition?" he asks instead.

"I have no idea," she replies with a bitter laugh. "I told you, my people do not discuss this process openly. It is considered shameful and weak, and we do not even have the courage to admit to ourselves that it happens. I was hoping the nymphs we encountered in Atlantia might have more details on it. They have experienced it, through no choice of their own, but know little more than I do. I am dying, and if you had left the process alone I would not be suffering this now."

"No, you would be dead," Makarov admits without guilt.

"Do you not care what happens to him?" she asks. Makarov is stunned to see a tear roll down her cheek, and a look of defeat in her eyes.

"I still hold out hope that you can be saved," he dares to admit.

"You shouldn't," she whispers. "He loves me you know. I don't know whose fault it is, or when it happened, but you know it as well as I do. I would not be healing if he didn't. How could you do that to him? You should have kept him away from me when I admitted my intentions."

"Do you love him in return?" Makarov asks instead.

"It makes no difference," she replies, gritting her teeth against the obvious physical pain.

"Is there something I can do for your pain?" Makarov asks, distracted by her distress.

"No," she says, shaking her head. "I am either sucking the life out of someone, or I am in pain now. It will probably be like this until the end."

Makarov extends his arm, doubling its length until it rests on her own. She is such a beautiful creature. His chest aches to think that she would choose to leave the world so early. He wishes, to the depths of his soul, that she would just accept Natsu. Makarov would welcome her into his little family with open arms if she would only let him. He has come to care very much about this broken child. He watches the muscles in her face relax. There is a pull against his own magic so slight that he would never notice it if he wasn't searching for it.

"Are you going to choose to die too?" she asks with sarcasm thick in her voice.

"Of course not," he scolds, "and I will not allow Natsu to either. But do not ask either of us to sit here and watch you writhe like that."

"Makarov, please," she begs. "You can see how much damage I am doing to him. Come up with a job. Send him away. I can manage to look better until he is gone. I swear."

"I find myself curious. What exactly are the requirements for a Nymph Sire, anyway?" Makarov asks instead.

"They are many, and complex," she sighs.

"I disagree," he counters.

"Excuse me?" she chokes, lifting a brow in confusion.

"I don't think you've traveled all over the world for decades looking for a perfect recipe," he counters. "I think you were looking for someone to love."

"I have loved many people," she counters with a weary sigh. "Many, many good people."

"Ah yes," he nods in agreement, "but how many of them were fire wizards?"

"Your point being?" she asks with sudden tension in her shoulders.

"Are you falling in love with my boy?" he asks, watching her response carefully.

She does not answer him and does not meet his eyes. She seems to freeze every muscle in her body, going as still as a statue. Her eyes lose their focus, and she seems to have just mentally shut down.

"I do not understand this madness at all!" he grumbles. "If you are even _beginning_ to love him, and you admit he already loves you, then why are you continuing on with this insanity?!"

"Because he cannot save me now," she whispers, still unmoving. "He has no chance, Makarov. None. I am too weak, and it is too late. No matter how great his love is… loving me will kill him. There is nothing that can save me now."

"You're lying to me," he argues. "I can hear it in your voice. There is still something that can save you, isn't there?"

"No," she lies again.

* * *

Natsu walks through the big double-doors of the store and is assaulted instantly by a hundred different overpowering scents. Countless combinations of women's perfume in a pungent sickly-sweet cloud float around everything in sight. It's almost enough to overcome the rank smell coming from his scarf, but is making him equally queasy.

"God it reeks in here," he gags, blinking against the onslaught. "Why the hell do women wear that shit?"

"It's supposed to smell good I guess," Happy says with skepticism in his voice, hovering in the air behind him. "What are we looking for in here anyway?"

"Something better for Gina to wear," he explains.

"What do you mean?" Happy asks, flying through the racks of clothing. "Like this?"

Happy holds up a little black pleated mini-skirt, and Natsu swallows nervously as his mind toys with the image of Gina wearing the enticing little number. "Uh... no," he chokes, "I'm looking for something better for her to wear when she sleeps."

"Can I help you sir?" a cheery young woman strolls up. The girl is kinda pretty. She's a little taller than he is, and isn't very curvy but is more girlish in her frame. She has short teal hair in a spiky pixie cut. She's wearing a pair of black slacks and a purple satin dress shirt. She reeks of one of the perfumes though, and Natsu fidgets nervously as she seems to run her eyes up and down him. She gets a smile that kinda creeps him out, and asks in a slightly deeper voice, "Is there something specific you were looking for?"

"Yeah," he mutters, trying to think of the best way to explain. "I need something for a chick to sleep in."

"Sleepwear, huh?" the girl says with a devilish grin. "What style?"

"Uh…" he flounders nervously. "Something that doesn't cover much skin. But it has to be soft."

"Right this way," the girl says with a grin.

She leads him through the store and eventually, he starts noticing that the racks they're passing are covered in bras and panties of varying colors and styles. _Hey, that would work…_ he thinks, _but she'd probably kill me for suggesting it._

"Do you have a color you prefer?" the girl asks casually.

"I don't know," he shrugs. "Black or red I guess." Then he remembers Gina's silky ball gown in Mapleton. "Or orange," he adds quickly. "Like copperish or somethin'."

"Well, we have a lot in black and red, so let's start there," the girl grins. "What about something like this one?"

She holds up something Natsu would imagine a woman wearing in a porn magazine. He nearly chokes. It's some kind of black ribbed corset with red laces and garter straps, see-through sides, and a matching black silk thong. The girl holds it in front of herself, which jars terribly with the image of Gina in his head.

"That looks crazy uncomfortable," he blurts out.

"Well yeah. Most women don't wear it for very long," she replies with a tinkling laugh.

"What are you doing here, Natsu?" a familiar feminine voice calls from behind him, and Natsu freezes in panic.

"Oh, hey Mira!" he calls as he spins around with a casual wave and a panicked smile. "Just… shopping."

"Is this your girlfriend?" the store clerk asks rather rudely.

"Oh, no, silly," Mirajane laughs, walking towards them. "We're guildmates."

"Oh," the girl says, sounding confused, "I'm Tina."

"I'm Mirajane," she adds, shaking the girl's hand.

"We're buying clothes for Gina," Happy adds unhelpfully.

"Oh, okay," Tina says with a smile. "Gina is the girlfriend then?"

"Whoa, she's not my girlfriend," Natsu rushes to clarify, palms raised. "We just sleep together."

Tina suddenly looks both shocked and suddenly impish. "I see…"

"You're buying Gina lingerie?" Mira asks in a slightly strangled tone.

"No!" Natsu shouts in frustration. "I need something better for her to sleep in instead of that stupid bikini. It's leaving marks on her skin in the morning, and it's gotta be uncomfortable."

"Oh, I see," Tina says, hanging the corset back up and grabbing a set of black panties made of solid lace instead. "Something more like this then?"

"Nah, she already has a pair of those," he blurts without thinking.

"Natsu!" Mirajane scolds while hiding a smile with her hand.

"They were in her bag!" he lies; not about to admit that he saw Gina wearing them when he wasn't supposed to. He suddenly wishes the ground would swallow him. "It was Ming's fault! What the heck are you doing here anyway?!"

"I'm picking out a new swimsuit for the next edition of Sorcerer Weekly," Mira says as if it's obvious, and holds up a bright pink bikini.

"Oh…" he mutters, a little deflated.

"What about this Natsu?" Happy's voice calls from behind them.

He turns and sees Happy holding up a tiny black pair of shorts. Happy flies over and drops them in his hands, and he feels the stretchy, silky texture of the fabric. There are no big seams that look uncomfortable. They'll provide more coverage than the bikini, but just barely qualify as shorts.

"Now you're talking, little guy," he says, and gives Happy a high five. Then he holds the shorts up to Tina. "Do you have something like this for the top?"

"I think so," she mumbles in a slightly bored tone. "This way..."

In a couple of minutes, they locate a pretty peach-colored top, like the shirt she was wearing earlier but smaller. Mirajane explains that it's called a sports bra.

"Whatever," he shrugs. "Do you think she would wear it?"

"Probably," Mirajane agrees with a smile. "It's the kind designed to be worn when jogging, so it's made to be seen. But you'll have to ask her."

"What size do you need?" Tina asks, much less enthusiastic than before.

"Uh…." Natsu searches for an answer. "She's shorter than me, but bigger than Mira." He points at Mirajane's chest to illustrate his point.

"I would guess that she's a 36 DD," Mirajane adds with a roll of her eyes.

"A what?" Natsu asks.

"Well, then I would recommend the XL to be safe," Tina says, handing over the appropriate size.

Tina then leads Natsu over to the cash register and rings them up. He pays for the outfit and declines the gift wrapping.

 _That would make it weird…_ he reasons.

"Hey, what is your name?" Tina asks.

"Natsu Dragneel," he says with a smile. "I'm Fairy Tail's fire dragon slayer."

"Well, Natsu," she says with that impish grin returning; tossing a small piece of paper in his bag. "Here's my number if you decide you'd like a _real_ girlfriend or need a new sleeping partner."

He laughs nervously and leaves the store in a hurry.

* * *

"Gina?" Natsu calls.

He saunters into his cabin, looking around for her. He checked the guildhall already, but Elfman told him that Gina had been gone for a couple of hours. He'd followed his nose and discovered that she'd made her way here. He glances in the hallway mirror as he passes it, realizing he looks a little better than he did this morning. It makes him feel hopeful that he can keep this up.

"Where is she?" Happy asks, hovering over his shoulder.

"I'm in here," she mumbles from the bedroom, and her voice sounds frighteningly weak.

Natsu rushes in to spot her lying on her side on the bed, facing the wall.

"Are you okay?" he asks, using a gentle hand to try and roll her towards him.

She shrugs his hand away, and won't turn her face towards him. She starts to get up off the bed, as if she's going to leave the room. "I'm fine, I just…"

But he dodges to where he can see and feels his anger flare. She's been crying, and the look on her face indicates that it's probably from pain. He doesn't even bother scolding her. He rips his overcoat off, pushes his fire magic to simmer just beneath his skin, and pulls her against his bare chest. He slips his hands and arms up her back, beneath her shirt, and against her pale skin. She makes a faint noise of protest, but he watches her face fall slack within moments, as the pain appears to fade.

"Why are you so stubborn?" he spits in frustration. "Why didn't you tell someone to come get me?! I told you..."

"I don't want to fight, Natsu," she whispers, tucking her face into the side of his neck against his scarf.

He becomes very still, hearing the exhaustion in her voice. There's something else there too… pain. He can hear it, but he's not sure if it's physical, emotional, or both. Truthfully, he doesn't want to fight her either. He just can't stand her allowing herself to be in pain when it takes so little effort to ease it.

"You should get ready for bed," he mumbles into her hair, taking in a deep breath of her beautiful scent.

"Fine…" she sighs, pulling away from him.

"Hey, I bought you something," he says, remembering the little shopping bag Happy is clutching in his paws.

"I helped too!" Happy chimes in. "I think you'll like the color a lot, Gina."

"Color?" she asks, taking the bag from him. She pulls out the peach colored sports bra and looks incredibly confused for a moment. "You bought me…?"

"Something more comfy to sleep in," Natsu hurries to clarify with a smile. "The bikini hardly seemed comfortable. This shouldn't leave any of those red marks on your skin. But… if it does we could return it. I tried to get something that still worked for the skin-to-skin magic-boost thing."

She suddenly looks as if she is about to cry.

"Don't you like it?" he asks with worry.

"No, no," she replies, shaking her head, and sniffing back her tears. "It was very thoughtful of both of you. Thank you."

She walks into the bathroom and disappears behind the door. Natsu jumps as the sound of happy chittering suddenly fills the air from Ming. He hadn't even noticed the little ferret was perched up on the shelf above his bed. Ming runs across it, leaps onto the bed post, skitters down it, and leaps onto Natsu's shoulders. He presses his head against the underside of Natsu's chin and rubs his smelly little body against Natsu's neck in apparent praise.

"Hey, it's no problem little guy," Natsu laughs, trying not to gag at the smell; although, strangely Ming doesn't seem to smell as strong lately. "You've got your paws full with this chick."

Ming seems to nod in agreement. Natsu starts getting ready for bed himself. He hangs his scarf on the bedpost to make the little hammock Ming now seems to feel entitled to. _At least it keeps him out of the bed…_ Natsu thinks with a shudder. Then he sheds his clothes and changes into his red shorts. At first, he leaves his clothes lying on the floor, then thinks better of it and reaches down to toss them in the basket Mirajane insisted he buy when she helped him clean out the cabin.

"I'm gonna stay up for a while," Happy says in a slightly bored tone, flying into the main room.

"No problem Happy," he replies, giving his friend a thumbs-up and a smile.

He hears the click of the bathroom door and turns to see Gina standing there in the new outfit. He would swear the temperature in the room just went up a few degrees, and someone stole the oxygen. _That's so weird…_ he muses. It's not actually showing as much skin as the bikini did, but this is somehow enticing in a subtle way. The fabric clings to her like a second skin and emphasizes the beauty of her shape. Gina seems to catch the look in his eye and shrinks back as if she is self-conscious.

"It looks great on you," he encourages her with a smile.

"Thank you," she says in a tired voice. "It _is_ very comfortable."

Natsu walks over to her and picks her up gently.

"I can walk, you know," Gina says with a sigh as he sets her down on the mattress.

"Yeah, but you look awful tired," he replies with a shrug. "So you don't have to."

He crawls into the bed with her and pulls her body up against him with his arm. He fights a tremor of pleasure at how perfectly she fits against him. The bare skin of her shoulders tease his chest, and he can feel the smoothness of her belly against his forearm. He breathes her scent deep into his lungs and can feel his body relax; making him realize just how tense he'd been all day trying to give her space. He banks the fire magic beneath his skin almost as an afterthought.

"You shouldn't become attached to me, Natsu," Gina whispers. "I am still going to die."

"You said you didn't want to fight," he replies, closing his eyes with a sigh. "I care about _all_ the members of my team. You became important the moment you joined us. I'm not givin' up. Now stop worrying about me and go to sleep."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Merry Christmas! If you don't have snow where you are, here's a little fluff for the holidays! :)**


	31. Chapter 31 - Arrival

Gray holds up his hand, signaling the group to pause while he figures out why all the hair on the back of his neck seems to be standing on end in alarm. _Something's not right here…_ He can feel it in the air.

"What is it?" Lucy asks from behind him. "Can you feel that?"

"Yeah," he confirms. "There's some crazy strong magic goin' on here, but I can't figure out what or where."

"Let me see if Loke can help," Lucy says, pulling out the golden celestial key. "Open! Gate of the Lion, Leo!"

"I take it we've arrived?" Leo says without hesitation as he appears.

"Should be…" Gray mutters, "but something is really off here. I've got the feeling we're prob'ly already bein' watched."

"I am the celestial spirit, Leo!" Loke declares into the air around them. "I am traveling with members of the Fairy Tail guild, and others in need of aid. I ask for an audience with the Sire here!"

"I AM LISTENING," a deep bass voice booms from all around them.

"Were you told we were coming?" Loke asks, a bit puzzled.

"Yes," the voice replies simply.

In the silence that follows, they all fidget nervously.

"Have the other guild members come to any harm?" Loke dares.

"Do not insult me," the voice threatens from all around them. "Why are the children not with you?"

"They are too weak to make it beyond the station," Loke explains as a huge man emerges from the mist. "We thought it best to seek you out instead of pushing them farther."

"You left them alone?" the terrifying man nearly growls.

"Of course not," Loke growls back. "They are with additional members of our team. The strongest of us, Tatiana Erza Scarlet, serves as their personal guard for now."

In a flash, the man is gone and Gray reels around trying to see where he went, or how he moved so fast. Then, he hears that old tell-tale trickle of water that he's come to associate with both the nymphs and Juvia. He turns to see a water nymph that has appeared before Loke.

"Please," the woman says in a high-pitched voice with an elegant bow, "forgive his haste. He will arrive to aid them faster than you could lead him yourself. I welcome you to our home, Fairy Tail members. If you will follow me, I will bring you to your guildmates."

"Sounds good," Gray responds with a shrug.

"Thanks!" Lucy agrees.

"Also," the nymph adds, "When our Sire returns, he has asked for a moment of the celestial spirit Leo's time alone."

"Oh, sure thing," Lucy nods with a smile. "I have no problem with that."

"Do you know what they want?" Gray whispers to Loke as they start walking.

"Probably just the chance to talk to someone who can give them more details, and who can't give away any old family secrets."

"Yeah," Gray sighs. "I figured it was something like that."

* * *

"Lucy!" Levy shouts with a grin and a wave as Lucy, Gray and Loke enter the large dining room. "How did it go? Did everyone make it?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Lucy admits with a sad expression. "Gray managed as best as he could, but they were just getting too weak. We had to leave them at the station and travel the rest of the way here on our own."

"The Sire is on his way to them now," Loke adds.

"The guy's name is Elrick," Gajeel adds in a gravelly tone while leaning back in his chair with crossed arms, and his ankles crossed up on the elegant tabletop. "He's given us next to no information since we got here."

"You can expect him to keep that up," Loke nods. "It's easiest to keep secrets you were never told in the first place."

"They've been very gracious as hosts though," Panther Lily feels the need to add.

"Why the hell all the secrecy huh?" Gajeel asks. "These people seem pretty powerful."

"There is always someone more powerful," Loke shrugs. "And having too much power of your own can be… too attractive in some cases. Anyway, this is the life they've chosen and I must respect it."

"Yeah, well," Gajeel grumbles again. "A lot of good it seems to have done the girls huh?"

* * *

"Who goes there?!" Erza shouts towards the huge man coming their direction while drawing her sword.

His appearance is striking enough on its own; with his muscular form and the elaborate tattoo work covering the side of his body. However, that is not what sets her nerves immediately on edge. The man radiates with a magical power she has rarely sensed in her life. It is possible that he is on the same level as Master Makarov, and she wonders if he is flaunting it or concealing even more which she cannot sense. She hopes it is not the latter, and that the man poses no threat.

"Where are the nymphs?" he replies instead of answering her.

"I will answer no questions until you answer mine!" Erza declares defiantly. She will not give away their location until she knows if he is friend or foe.

The water nymphs are hiding in the third building on this street at the small station, with Wendy and Carla tending to them. Erza has been walking a steady defense patrol. She can only hope that Lucy and Gray get word to the Sire quickly because three of the women have already fallen unconscious. She does not understand why this man would appear on his own, but she doesn't trust him.

In the blink of an eye, a wave of water hits her in the torso and slams her against the wall of the nearest building. She requips just as quickly into her Sea Empress Armor and Crystal Sword and deflects the attack away from her. This armor and weapons set allows her to diminish the power of water-based attacks, while also slicing through them to inflict her own damage. She is hesitant to damage him, though, until she knows who he is.

"Do not delay me woman!" the man shouts in an enraged deep bass voice. "Where are they?!"

She stands defiantly in a fighting stance with her sword raised. "Why would I tell you anything? I do not know who you are, and until I do, you will be treated as an enemy! Do not underestimate me!"

"I am Elrick," the man spits, ripping off his cloak and pointing to the elaborate tattoo on his side.

"Elrick who?" Erza presses.

"By God, you children really do know nothing!" he spits. "I am the Sire you've been looking for, you fool! Now bring me to them before it is too late to heal them!"

Erza realizes that the tattoo must be some kind of identifying mark that she doesn't understand, but she's still not willing to fully accept his story until she sees some proof.

"I will take you to them," she nods with a false calm, "but if you harm them… it will be your last mistake."

"Just go!" he shouts.

Erza leads him to the correct building, keeping her senses acute to his movements. As she opens the door, she sees little Wendy crouched over one of the nymphs whose body has gone completely black. There are tears on the little girl's face as she turns towards them in surprise.

"Who is that?" Wendy asks in a small pain-filled voice.

The man suddenly utters something Erza assumes is a string of swear words in some foreign tongue, then extends his hands with a simple, "Let me have her. Please."

Erza nods in agreement to Wendy, and he scoops the seemingly lifeless body up into his arms. Then he begins clicking and speaking in the odd tongue the women use as he rocks her gently in his arms. Erza watches him begin drawing a magical spell against the skin of her stomach around where the woman's navel would be, if she had one. Within moments, the black begins fading from the nymph's body like it might have done if Gray had any strength left. The man's strange words seem to stop, but the black keeps receding as he stares down at her with sad eyes.

"Have…" the man sighs heavily, "any of them died on the trip here?"

"I don't know," Wendy sniffs. "She is the worst. I… I didn't know if she was already dead. She hasn't moved for hours."

"Take heart child," Carla says, placing a comforting paw against Wendy's knee. "Surely, if the black is receding, it must mean she still lives."

"She will live," Elrick nods in confirmation. "I need you to bring me the worst of them one at a time. They must be healed some before we attempt to move them to my home."

"Why did you come alone?" Erza asks impatiently. "Are our friends…"

"They are fine," Elrick says without a care. "I could get here faster on my own, so I left them in the care of my daughters. You will rejoin them when we arrive there."

"Very well," Erza nods, relaxing her stance for the first time. "Wendy, show me which one is most in need of his aid next."

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

* * *

The massive clock on the dining room keeps its steady time, as Lucy begins to feel the noise digging its way inside her brain. Even being locked inside of Horologium - her celestial spirit that takes the form of a clock - doesn't bother her like this. It seems like it's been too long since Elrick left, and no one has returned yet.

"So…" Gray sighs from next to her, throwing an arm over the back of his chair, "do we know anything more than we did before?"

Levy immediately begins scribbling on a piece of paper as Gajeel replies with a curt, "No. I told you they're not very talkative. We've sat here and had dinner with them for days now, and he just responds to questions with grunts or silence."

Levy passes the piece of paper to Gray and he reads it briefly before sliding it over to Lucy. Levy's handwriting is clear and bold, and the note reads: NOT SAFE TO TALK. PROBABLY BEING WATCHED ALL THE TIME. WILL HAVE TO DEBRIEF AFTER RETURNING HOME.

"Wow, I suddenly wish Natsu was with us," Lucy sighs, wishing he could instantly incinerate the note. "You know, to fill in the silence."

"Yeah," Levy chuckles. "It's kind of amazing how quiet it is without him."

"Well," Gray replies. "I'm fine, but you ladies must be cold. I'm gonna add a couple more logs to the fire." He scoops up the note as he stands from the table, and casually places it in with the logs in the massive fireplace at the head of the room.

"How was Gina doing when you guys left anyway?" Lucy asks as Gray lights the fire.

Levy suddenly looks ill. "Not good," she says with a heavy sigh. "I'm honestly not sure if he's going to be able to bring her back or not."

"Master Makarov seems dead set on letting him try though," Gajeel adds, "and Mira is keeping an eye on them so…"

Suddenly the large door to the dining room opens, and an incredibly elegant looking water nymph walks in with a regal posture. She has two additional nymphs flanking her, one on each side. Unlike every other nymph they have seen so far, this one has multiple sets of massive wings on her back; three sets to be exact. Lucy is surprised that water is capable of looking so feather-like as it forms the beautiful appendages. She is very tall and very lean, yet shapely. Even though she is pure water in form, the woman is strikingly beautiful.

"I'm sorry we have kept you waiting," the nymph says in a low, almost musical tone.

"It's alright," Gray shrugs, but he turns to Gajeel with a question in his eyes. Gajeel shakes his head to indicate, No. They don't know either who she is, or why she is different from the others.

"Was the Sire able to find the nymphs at the station?" Lucy can't help but ask.

"Yes," the nymph nods with a heavy sigh. "My husband was able to reach them in time to prevent any loss of life, but it was close. I cannot thank you enough for helping them get here, and doing your best to protect them. Elrick was quite impressed with your guard."

"Yeah," Gray chuckles, "Erza doesn't play around with anyone's life, and she's a force to be reckoned with."

 _Husband…_ Lucy thinks to herself, then blurts out, "Does that mean you're their new Mom?"

The nymph stands quietly for a moment as if deciding whether to answer that question or not. The nymph to her right leans in to whisper in her ear, and the lead nymph nods in a subtle response. While they have a brief conversation in what appears to be the strange nymph language, the door on the opposite side of the room suddenly opens and Erza, Wendy, and Carla are escorted in by two more water nymphs.

"Ah, I am glad to see you were able to join us so soon," the lead nymph says with a small nod to Erza. "I was just offering my thanks to the rest of your companions. In response to your question, Lucy, Yes. Elrick is the Sire of this family, and I am his Queen."

"You're royalty?" Lucy squeaks in admiration. "And you know my name?"

"I know all the names of my guests," the nymph says with a watery smile. "In our species, mothers are referred to as Queens. It is not used the same way in your language. Damion's children - the ones you brought from Atlantia - will be adopted into our family and provided for as their own parents would have cared for them."

"How does the adoption work?" Levy asks. "Is there anything we can help with? Will there be time?"

"Thank you for your offer, but the adoption is already complete," the Queen replies. "Though you may not recognize her, this child to my right is Dalma. She is already considered one of my own, and wished to offer her own thanks as well on behalf of her sisters."

Dalma bows to the group, but does not speak.

"Why can you speak with us, but they can't?" Levy asks.

"They were only children when their parents died," the Queen explains. "It must have been a gap in their education. You must understand, languages change so quickly in your world, and there are so many."

 _So quickly?!_ Lucy thinks. _How on Earthland would someone think a language changes that quickly?_

"Lucy," the Queen continues, "I must now ask for your celestial spirit, Leo, to speak with my husband. He is fatigued, and will not be joining you tonight, but I can escort him to my husband's study."

"Oh, sure thing," Lucy replies with a smile, taking out her key. "Open, Gate of the Lion! Leo!"

"Are they ready for me?" Loke says with a grin as he appears next to her in a flash.

"Sounds like it," Lucy nods in affirmation. "Take as long as you need. I'm doing just fine."

"If you would follow me," the Queen says, turning back towards the door.

"Alright," Loke replies. "Lead the way."

* * *

Elrick sits in his overstuffed armchair, exhausted from the work of restoring his new daughters to even moderate health. He is thankful beyond words that the Fairy Tail members got them here alive, but is grieved to hear that some had passed before the girls were able to ask for aid. He was even more surprised to hear from them that they were first aided by a rogue fire nymph Queen; apparently living secretly within Fairy Tail's ranks. The children were incredibly distressed about her condition, and he is determined to learn more.

"I have brought Leo," his beautiful wife, Kairi, says as she enters and quickly shuts the door behind the two of them. She quickly weaves a sealing spell over the door.

"Good to see you, my old friend," Elrick laughs and rises to give the spirit a brief handshake.

"It's been a long time," Leo smiles in response, taking his seat. "What… a couple of hundred years now?"

"Yes," Elrick nods. "It's amazing how quickly time continues to pass, even when you have more of it than normal."

"How are the girls?" Leo asks. "Beautiful as ever, I imagine."

"And as troublesome," Elrick replies with a chuckle, rubbing his temples. "Speaking of which… I hear there is a fire nymph Queen who has gotten herself in quite a bit of trouble also."

"More than you might think possible," Leo sighs, suddenly looking tired. "What did they tell you?"

"Only that she is a Queen, and that she is not in much better physical condition than they were," Elrick says, sitting back in his chair. "They also mentioned a boy she seems to refuse to claim. I need to know more, Leo. Is the child without a Sire?"

"No, she is not," Leo replies with a grimace. "Her name is Aegina Asterope."

"Good Gods…" Elrick breathes, his hands falling slack against the arms of the chair.

"Axis was finally able to father a new Queen?" Kairi squeaks in distress, and sits down heavily in the chair beside Elrick; taking his hand. "I cannot believe he would _ever_ abandon her!"

"He does not know of her condition," Leo explains. "I cannot be sure, but I get the impression they have not actually spoken in many, many years."

"But Adara suffered so much after the loss of their first!" Kairi cries. "I cannot imagine her grief if the second fades! Elrick you must do something!"

"Hush, Kairi," Elrick scolds her, rubbing circles into her palm with his thumb in an attempt to soothe her. "I need to know more before - if - we take any action in this. Leo, how old is Aegina?"

"She is in her nineties if I remember right," Leo replies.

"Then she is still young… but she is of age," Elrick sighs. "She has rights over her own colony."

"But she doesn't have one yet," Leo objects. "She hasn't taken a Sire."

"That doesn't matter," Kairi murmurs. "After their sixtieth year, all Queens have independent rights. Adara's own father implemented that rule a millennia ago, after what happened with his Queen's parents and the interference they caused. It almost caused the loss of the entire colony."

"This one is _going to be lost_ if Aegina dies," Leo says seriously. "She is so close, she may have already passed. She could be passing right now."

"And this boy can be of no help to her at all?" Elrick scoffs. "Is that why she doesn't claim him?"

"If there isn't love in his heart, he is unfit anyway," Kairi agrees.

"On the contrary," Leo growls. "If what I hear is correct, he is the only thing keeping her alive right now at all, and it is making him very ill."

"Do you think claiming him could save her?" Kairi asks Elrick.

"I am… not sure," Elrick admits. "Without seeing her it is nearly impossible to tell. If the girls' claims are true, she already has very serious elemental poisoning, and will only worsen with every exposure."

"She lost consciousness before arriving back at the guild," Leo adds. "I am not sure if they have been able to revive her."

"Then she is already lost," Elrick sighs, dragging his hand through his hair.

"We must go to Axis!" Kairi cries. "He has to…"

"There is no time," Elrick counters with what Kairi already knows. "He is half a world away from her. Even if he fled straight from his home, he would be rushing to claim her body, not to save her."

"What if I could convince her to claim my friend who is caring for her?" Leo asks, grasping at straws.

"I would not advise that," Elrick warns. "You may damage the young man beyond repair. She is likely beyond the ability to pair herself now. Even if he claimed a role as her Sire, it is unlikely that her body would have the strength to sustain both herself and a child. He simply would not have enough power to give them. He would likely lose them both."

"But what if she's stronger than we think she is?" Leo balks. "How many times has a Queen faded? Is the process different than it would be for any other nymph?"

"To my knowledge," Kairi whispers, "no Queen has ever faded before taking a Sire. Some have chosen to after they have lost one, out of grief, but the process was complicated by the pairing. We simply do not know any more about it. But poor Axis and Adara… to lose one to the hunters, and a second to her own choice. I cannot imagine. Aegina's very existence is a miracle."

It is true that Gina is a rarity in her species. Most Nymph Sire's do not sire a Queen until very late in their lives, and sometimes not at all if they die prematurely. There is usually only a single Queen born into a generation, and therefore the loss of one means the end to a family line. It was already unusual when Axis sired his first Queen, Iskra, at such a young age; barely two decades into his pairing. When she was killed by the nymph hunters during the great wars, everyone believed that Adara's bloodline would end forever due to that unusual timing. To learn now that Axis managed to father a second Queen - perhaps because she was so far removed from the first - only to face losing her again is tragic beyond words.

"Do you know what has pushed her into this choice?" Elrick asks Leo quietly.

"I know very little," Leo admits. "I have had almost no chance to speak with her, and she was obviously afraid of even my knowledge that she was sick at all. Fairy Tail's Master, Makarov, said that she experienced some kind of trauma very recently. The death of one of her lovers, I think. She has not been the same since."

"It cannot simply be that," Kairi mumbles in a sad tone. "It takes years for a Queen to fade, even if completely alone. This affords them the time to choose a proper Sire. She must have started her self-neglect a long time ago."

"Yes," Leo nods. "A former lover of hers is also in the guild, and he said she recently confessed that she has not taken a lover since she left him."

"How long ago was that?" Elrick asks.

"Close to a decade, I think," Leo says, slightly unsure.

"Truly?" Elrick replies, feeling a bit stunned. He's never heard of a fade lasting over such a long period. "She must surround herself with affection from many others, or she was much stronger when she left him."

"What about Damion's daughters?" Leo asks, confused. "They've been without a Sire for more than 16 years."

"Yes, but they were mere babies, by our standards, when the hunters came," Kairi explains. "Our youngest can last several years without any assistance at all, but it is harder for them to grow right. They have also supplemented by using the people of the town for many years. For Gina to go with nothing at all for so long, at her age, is truly surprising. The poor child..."

"So you really believe there is no hope?" Leo asks, feeling his heart sink.

"I cannot leave any Queen, fire nymph or not, to die without knowing for sure," Kairi replies. "I will leave for your guild shortly after you get your own people out of here. I will find out for myself."

"Out of the question," Elrick replies with a glare at his wife. "If anyone is going to go…"

"It is NOT going to be you!" she shouts back. "These girls are in a desperate state, and none of our own children, or Damion's, can afford you to risk yourself. I can blend in on my own, and no one will be the wiser. I can look in on her myself and make a judgment. Then we can honestly face Axis, when and if we have to, and tell him we tried without breaking nymph law. When we nearly lost Sasha, you would have expected them to do the same if in this position."

Elrick grinds his teeth but ceases his argument.

"Then I will try to advise Makarov that you will be in the area, but that you will not likely announce your presence," Leo adds softly.


	32. Chapter 32 - Poison

Gina sits quietly on the bench at the train station; focusing on the sounds and smells around her to distract her from the gnawing pain. She strokes Ming's fur again and again for another comforting sensory input. Natsu watches her too carefully, too often these days and it is nearly impossible to fool his scrutiny of her condition. He is keeping his promise to minimize contact with her during the day, but she is still draining him too rapidly at night. She has started hitting him with microbursts of sleep magic shortly after they go to bed; to try and minimize the opportunity he has to think about her or feel anything too much before his brain is overcome with sleep. It has seemed to help in the last couple of days, but she is very aware that she will have to escape from him soon. Fortunately, Gajeel is due back today, and he may be her only remaining hope of really escaping.

I hope he really meant what he said… Gina worries once again. Without his help, getting away from three dragon slayers may prove impossible. Even if Ming wipes out her scent completely, which he wasn't willing to do last time, they can still track her too easily through other senses and sheer stubbornness.

"What's that look for?" Natsu asks, startling her out of her thoughts. She hadn't noticed him sit down beside her, but immediately feels a numbing wave of affection come from where he is sitting.

"What look?" she asks.

"Your face is all scrunched up like you're worried about somethin'," he replies with a grin.

"Just thinking about what's coming," she admits with a sigh.

"Lucy, Gray and the others are coming," he says with a frustrated expression. "As soon as they're here, we'll sort out how to really make you better."

"Natsu, there is no cure for…" she begs for what feels like the millionth time.

"I don't care," he shrugs. "I'm the cure for the poisoning, and we still have time to figure out the rest. I'm not giving up, Gina. Hey, look… the torture chamber's pullin' in."

He stands up and terminates the conversation, heading towards the incoming train. She can't help but smile at his personal hatred of all modes of transportation. She also wishes she knew why it makes him so sick. Very little else phases him, so the motion sickness must be truly terrible for him to complain about it at all. She watches him walk along the train windows, peering inside and looking for their teammates. He stops and begins waving and shouting at someone on the train.

Lucy comes out first, grabbing him by the face with a shocked expression. Gray, following behind her is also obviously a little stunned by Natsu's somewhat sickly appearance. Then she spots the boots she's looking for; thick black leather with steel studs. Gajeel's steely gaze finds her immediately.

Thank the dragons… Gina sighs to herself. Now to find a chance to talk to him alone.

* * *

"Oh my God, what happened to you?!" Lucy screeches in Natsu's ear, pinching his cheeks and squeezing painfully hard.

"Come on," he whines, pulling away and nodding to Happy; who flies off to find Wendy and Carla. "It's not a big deal. You should see Gina. I've managed to make her a lot better, but she's still so sick it scares me to death. I really need your help, Lucy."

"Of course," Lucy replies with a determined expression, "We'll find a way, Natsu. Levy and I have been talking about it on the way home. We're going to try to dig up any information that we can on elemental poisoning from the libraries."

"Loke told us on the trip that I was actually making her sick," Gray mutters from over Lucy's shoulder. "I'm sorry man."

"Nah, it's okay," Natsu replies with a shrug. "We both had it backward, but that poisoning shit almost did her in before we even got home, man. The Old Lady says she could still get poisoned again real easy."

"Will she admit what else is goin' on?" Gray asks. "About why she was sick in the first place?"

"No luck," Natsu growls. "Trust me, I've tried to push her, but it doesn't work. It only makes it impossible for me to stay close enough to help her. She's in pain all the time, but she's always tryin' to pretend that she's not. Ming gives her away. He's been a big help in signaling me when it gets real bad. I don't think Gina's caught us yet."

"Well that's helpful at least," Lucy sighs.

"Hey, Salamander!" Gajeel calls from their left.

"Yeah?" Natsu replies.

"I want an update, but from the looks of your face, I'm not expecting to like it," Gajeel grumbles.

"What about my face?!" Natsu complains.

"I mean you look sick, you moron!" Gajeel screams back, as Levy and Panther Lily wait behind him. "Geez… anyway, Levy's tired so I'm gonna walk her back to her place. I'll meet up with you later."

"Sure," Natsu shrugs, "but Gina and I go to bed pretty early."

"Yeah, yeah," Gajeel says with a wave as he walks away.

"Go to bed?" Gray asks with an evil smirk from over Lucy's shoulder.

Natsu rolls his eyes, no longer able to ignore their thoroughly mingled scent. "Trust me, Ice Freak," Natsu spits, "Gina going to bed with me is nothing like Lucy going to bed with you."

"Natsu!" Lucy screeches in a whisper with the biggest blush he's ever seen on her. He can't help but laugh.

"Oh, come on, Luce," Gray laughs. "You think he didn't know?"

"I thought we were being discreet!" she complains, turning around to punch Gray in the chest.

"I don't really know why we're botherin," Gray replies with a smile and leans over to kiss her in a way that makes Natsu want to squirm.

"GRAY!" Juvia Lockser's voice suddenly cries in horror from behind them. "HOW COULD YOU?!"

Natsu turns to see the water mage standing with unshed tears building in her eyes. She's wearing her long-sleeved blue dress with the slits up the two sides; which shows off the blue guild stamp on her upper left thigh. The white ruffs around her wrists, shoulders, and neck match the same ruff on her blue hat with a little yellow daisy. Her blue hair is down past her shoulders now. She's a beautiful young woman, but the expression on her face warns Natsu that she's in for a world-class meltdown.

"Oh shit," he hears Gray mutter from behind him, "That's why."

"Really?" Lucy complains. "You don't care about the whole world knowing, but you don't want Juvia to find out?!"

Uh oh… Natsu thinks, turning to look back at Gray's slightly pained expression. You're screwed Snow Man. He can't help but grin at the predicament that would allow Gray to piss off both women at once.

"It's not about that!" Gray shouts at Lucy in an angry tone. "I don't care about her knowin' I'm in love with you!"

Whoa… Natsu thinks in surprise. In love? Big words little man…

"IN LOVE?!" Juvia screeches. "HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT MY DARLING GRAY?!"

"I don't want her to drown the whole damn town!" Gray continues without even pausing to respond to Juvia.

Suddenly, Natsu is distracted by Ming, who is tearing away at his pants leg with his little teeth. Natsu's gaze snaps up immediately to see Gina standing to her feet quickly. Sure enough, in only a couple of moments, Natsu feels the first couple drops of water splash against his bare shoulder. He glances up at the sudden storm clouds. It always rains when Juvia is upset; sometimes bad enough to cause literal flash floods. He heard it was a curse of being a rain woman; thus the name.

"What's up little buddy?" Natsu asks Ming, realizing it must be a warning about Gina's decision to leave.

"Look, Juvia, it's time to face the music," Gray keeps talking behind him. "I'm being honest here. I love Lucy, and…"

Natsu tunes him out and focuses in on Gina. His body freezes as he hears a whimper leave her from across the station. He scrutinizes her posture as she leans heavily against a post for just a moment. He can see a clear black spot appear on the back of her hand as a water droplet hits it, and a second whimper leaves her throat.

"Oh, shit," Natsu whispers, glancing back at a weeping Juvia as the sky begins to really open up. "Magic rain…" He begins ripping his overcoat off and takes off at a dead run for Gina. "GRAY!" he screams. "The rain is POISON!"

"Huh?" he hears Gray reply with confusion. "Oh SHIT!"

Rain begins pouring down from the sky in a sudden deluge, as he hears Juvia's sobbing blend with Gina's sudden scream. It pounds against his bare back and he can't imagine how painful it must be as it strikes her. The crowd around her has backed away in alarm from where she's crumpled to the ground, leaving a clear path to her body. Her skin that is visible is turning an almost solid black. He throws his overcoat over her, but it's drenched in moments. He lifts her into his arms and runs straight for the nearest doorway in the train station. The rain is coming so fast now that it's starting to flash flood beneath the wooden boards of the walkway.

"OUT OF THE WAY!" he screams as he kicks the door in, and barrels inside the station's small gift shop. He tosses Gina onto the counter, and then takes a step back, engulfing himself in flames to dry his body and clothes.

"What is the meaning of this?!" a man shouts at him from behind the counter, but Natsu doesn't bother to respond. The second he's dry he steps back to assess the damage done by Juvia's meltdown.

Damnit, her clothes are soaked with it! Trying to dry Gina's clothes and body while she's still dressed will risk burning her, and will be too slow. He begins stripping her clothes off as quickly as he can, while Gina is already struggling her way out of them.

"How can I help?!" Lucy's voice barely registers through his panic.

"We've got to get her dry!" he shouts, ripping the jeans down Gina's legs.

"Are you kids crazy?!" the man shouts again. "I'll have you arrested if you…"

"SHUT UP!" Natsu screams, turning around with a flaming fist, "OR I'LL TURN YOU TO ASH!"

"Use these!" Lucy shouts, throwing a small decorative blanket over Gina's front.

Gina clings to it and begins drying her skin as Lucy removes the rest of the contaminated clothing. Gina's body is shaking violently. Natsu throws two more blankets over her and then lifts her back off of the countertop, and hurries over to a dry spot on the floor. He sets Gina down and strips down to his boxers before lifting Gina into his lap again. She groans in pain at being moved, and he tosses his scarf down as Ming watches from the doorway; apparently trying to shake loose the rain he got soaked with.

"What are you doing?" Lucy asks, crouching in front of them. "How can I help?"

"I've got to counteract the poison," Natsu grumbles, beginning the process in a hurry. "Don't let any water get back on her from you."

"No…" Gina mumbles. "You're too... tired. Don't…"

"Shut up, Gina!" Natsu barks, knowing it's only more of the same old argument they now have daily. "You can yell at me later."

He pushes his fire magic to just beneath his skin and starts to draw his hands down one arm and then the other, watching as the rain rises in a vapor off the surface of her skin. Her skin begins to slowly fade back to its normal sickly color from the terrifying black it had been in the deluge. He feels Gina relax there slightly, but the rest of her is still tense with pain.

"Natsu…" she whispers, reaching up to touch his face. "Just... let me go."

"NO!" he shouts, as he begs the stars not to take her. "I said SHUT UP!"

He decides to focus on curing the poison in the core of her body, running his hands and arms along her sides and belly. Her hand drops, and his heart stutters as she loses consciousness.

"COME ON!" he screams, letting the fire flare to life around them in a circle while keeping it directly from his skin or hers as Lucy jumps back with a squeal.

"Come on, baby," he mumbles into Gina's hair, "It'll be over soon."

Then he realizes her hair is as drenched as the rest of her and he quickly pulls it over his shoulder, so it will drape down his own back instead of lying across her body. He continues drying her skin and curing the poison with his touch as quickly as he can, while Lucy begins gathering up the soaked and scattered clothing.

* * *

"Okay, Gina," Lucy says in a gentle tone, hoisting the young woman up by her shoulders. "Just one more step, and you'll be ready to rest for a while."

Lucy helps pull on Gina's sleeping clothes from inside Natsu's tiny bathroom; surprised by everything she sees in her first time inside his cabin. She feels terrible about what happened to Gina because of the complications of her own love life. She was also stunned to see the elaborate process Natsu used to cure Gina from the poisonous rain; feeling slightly embarrassed by the intimacy of it. Natsu hadn't even been slightly hesitant in touching Gina the way he apparently needed too, and she was in too desperate of a state to care. Levy and Gajeel met up with them all here a few minutes ago, and Levy told her that it's the same process that worked before.

"I'm so sorry for all this," Gina whispers as Lucy helps her sit back down on the toilet lid.

"Don't worry about it," Lucy insists. "We've all had weird stuff happen to us in this guild. We make the best of it."

"Has anyone been stripped naked in a store before?" Gina asks with a weary grin.

"Actually… I think that might be a first, even for Fairy Tail," Lucy admits. "Although Gray's done it to himself… so maybe not."

"What about being arrested?" Gina's expression dims instantly.

"Oh, trust me, this is not the first time," Lucy assures her. "In fact, it's not even the first time Natsu's been arrested. I've honestly lost track of that count."

"Really?" Gina replies, looking confused even in her exhaustion.

"Yeah, the property damage alone is enough," Lucy laughs.

"Oh…" Gina mumbles. "I guess that makes sense."

"But Master Makarov will have him out in no time," Lucy says, helping Gina to her feet again.

"LUCY?!" Natsu's voice rings through the cabin as confirmation.

"In here!" she calls back. "It's okay, you can open the door!"

The bathroom door swings open slowly, and Natsu cautiously peers inside, still wearing nothing more than his pants and scarf.

"Hey guys," Natsu says with a grin.

He walks over to them and picks Gina up in his arms, and Lucy follows them out of the bathroom. Natsu carries her back out into his bedroom to set her gently down on the bed as soon as Levy's pulled back the blankets. For a moment, he leans over Gina and looks like he's going to kiss her forehead, but he just seems to sniff her hair.

"I'll be right back," he whispers, then strolls back into the bathroom with shorts in his hand.

* * *

As soon as the bathroom door is shut, Natsu slides down its surface onto the floor to struggle for breath.

God damnit! Why the hell can't I get my strength back?!

He pins his hands between his arms and the sides of his chest to stop their trembling.

Why the hell can't I figure this out?! he silently rages. She can't die!

Gina looks so frail and so weak he can barely handle looking directly at her, but he's gotten too weak to even stand up for very long. The stupid guards that took him out of the shop wouldn't listen to him. She needed him. She could have died while they were interfering! He desperately needs to find an answer to whatever is wrong with her, but he's plain out of ideas. He fights back the tears, but they stream down his face anyway. He struggles not to make any noise, but with Gajeel and Wendy in the outer room, the odds that his pathetic crying will be heard are high. He grits his teeth in anger at the tears' very existence.

Makarov didn't help anything when he came to get Natsu out of jail. He was acting like Natsu should take an out-of-town job, to get some "distance" from Gina's illness. Like he needs distance! That's the worst idea ever, and Natsu was completely knocked off-kilter that the old man was even suggesting it. Gina needs him! What if Gina died while he was gone? What if he didn't get to say goodbye? His mind wanders to the image of his empty bed, with Gina gone from it forever. Then he remembers kneeling at Lissana's grave, but the word's on it morph into Aegina Asterope. He clutches at his chest, as if he can rip the pain out with his claws.

STOP IT!

Natsu slaps himself in the face, hard. The shock to his system succeeds in drying his tears and drawing his attention from the pain in his chest to the pain on his skin. He takes off his pants and dries his tears on his scarf. Then he slips on his shorts and glances in the mirror. He didn't cry long. If he puts on the right face, no one but possibly the dragon slayers will know about his little meltdown.

It's not over till it's over, he assures himself, and I'm not gonna let that happen!

He pushes the bathroom door open to be greeted by the solemn faces of his closest friends. Gray and Lucy are hovering by the bedside, while Happy is off with Ming in the main living room. Gajeel and Levy also came over with Panther Lily, Erza, Carla, and Wendy as soon as they heard what had happened. Gina is curled up in a tight ball in the center of his bed, pretending to be asleep, while Gray updates the group on how Makarov got Natsu out of jail by explaining the unusual circumstances and paying for the damages to the shop door.

"So how did the job turn out anyway?" Natsu asks no one in particular.

He slides into bed and pulls Gina back against his chest. Definitely faking sleep, he thinks once again. She's stiff as a board and doesn't automatically wrap herself around his body like a lover the way she would if she were asleep. He loves that unconscious response, even though he knows he shouldn't, and hopes she falls asleep soon. He runs his hands along her back, loving the pull he can feel against his magic and wishing it was somehow enough to save her.

"It was strange, but successful," Erza comments in her very official tone. "Elrick, the father of the water colony there wasn't going to give us any information he didn't have to."

"None of them would," Levy chimes in. "But I managed to collect some information anyway. It could be helpful if we ever run into nymphs again. I don't think talking about it would be against the rules, since we're all involved anyway, right?"

"I think it's a great idea!" Lucy chimes in. "What did you learn?"

"So…" Levy continues, pulling some notes from her pocket, "apparently all the fathers of nymph colonies are called Sires. They're also all human, but Elrick claims that they live for hundreds of years."

"What?" Gray balks. "How is that possible?"

"I have an idea," Levy replies. "Maybe they're a symbiotic species. If that's true, there could be something that the nymph biology does to morph the human's traits and extend their lives."

Natsu feels Gina twitch, and he smooths his hand down her back again hoping to soothe whatever pain she's in.

"Did Elrick say how old he was?" Erza asks.

"The guy claimed to be more than 500 years old," Gajeel grumbles. "But trust me. There's no foolin' this nose. The guy was 100% human. I could definitely smell his Queen on him, though, once I got a whiff of her."

"He has a Queen?" Natsu asks.

"That's apparently the title they use for Nymph mothers," Levy clarifies. "It doesn't necessarily seem to imply royalty."

"So whenever a nymph becomes a mom she gets to be called a Queen?" Lucy asks. "That's awesome!"

"I don't think that's it," Levy disagrees. "There's got to be something else we're missing."

"What do you mean, Levy?" Gray asks.

"Think about it," she says with a focused expression. "The Queen we saw actually looked different from all of the rest of them. She had wings!"

Suddenly, Gina rolls toward Natsu and wraps her body more fully around him. Her leg curls up around his hip in a shockingly intimate gesture, as her arm snakes beneath his and around his back. She presses her face against his throat and gives a slight groan, which makes him fight an embarrassing tremor of pleasure.

"Natsu," Gina seems to whine against the skin of his throat without opening her eyes. "I'm so tired."

"Sorry," he whispers in her ear, but Levy's statement rings in his head like a bell. He speaks to Levy softly and explains, "We need to let her sleep guys. But the woman I met in the woods had wings too! Three sets of them."

"Exactly!" Levy whispers.

Natsu is distracted once again by the fact that Gray is looking at him the way Gajeel did the first time Gina wrapped herself around him, and Natsu makes a face back of irritation. Lucy looks suddenly even sadder than she did before.

"Alright," Erza intervenes. "Gina and Natsu both need their sleep. We can talk more about this at another time."

In twos and threes, they begin shuffling their way out the door of Natsu's tiny cabin. He feels so exhausted himself that he doesn't even want to move, and feeling Gina against him reinforces the desire to never move again. After they're all gone, Gina starts to pull away slightly, but he holds her steady against him. This was the first time she'd made such a move while still awake, and she'd seemed perfectly comfortable doing it. He pulls his head back just enough to look into her eyes.

"I… like you here," he says, nervously.

For a moment she doesn't respond. Then finally she asks a very quiet, "Why?"

Huh? He's not sure how to answer that. "I don't know," he admits. "It feels good."

"I'm not good for you Natsu," Gina says in a faint whisper.

This again, he sighs. "I'm going to save you, Gina. Somehow," he insists. "Just pretend for a minute that you weren't sick. Would you want…"

"We should talk about something else," Gina says, turning her back to his chest within his strong grip.

Natsu swallows hard against the disappointment that is becoming so familiar to him. "Okay… What do you think about what Levy said?"

"Which part?" Gina sighs, seeming to relax a little more.

"Do you think the chick I met in the woods was a nymph Queen?" he asks.

"Does it matter?" she asks instead.

"Yeah, it matters," he says, feeling suddenly worried about the idea.

"Why?" Gina asks. "Would you… do you want to be a nymph Sire, Natsu?"

"Heck no," he laughs. "I can't imagine what those guys must go through with all that stuff. I mean, can you even imagine knowing your kids would die if you died? God that would suck." Gina is very quiet for a very long time. Finally, he asks again, "So, do you think she was?"

"Why does it matter?" Gina finally responds in a slightly hoarse voice, and Natsu suddenly wonders if Gina could be uncomfortable again with how he'd behaved with the beautiful creature in the woods.

"Hey, don't get the wrong idea," he pleads. "I told you what happened. The chick was really pretty and all, but… geez… what if she was somebody's mom? What if I was kissin' some other guy's woman. That would be awful!"

"Maybe it's not that way at all," Gina counters much more quickly.

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"Well, you're assuming that she grows the wings after she has kids, right?" Gina asks. "What if it's not that way at all. Maybe she was born that way. It could be that only some of them can have children. Some species are that way you know."

"Like what? Give me one example," he challenges, trying to think of an animal that breeds that way.

"Bees," Gina replies. "Lots of bees are born as worker bees, but only a handful of them can actually go out and make a new colony."

"Colony huh…" he muses. "Hey, that makes a lot of sense. They even call their homes colonies don't they? Wow, you're really smart. I didn't even realize how similar that is."

"So maybe the woman you met in the woods was a Queen," Gina continues with a shrug, "but even if she was, that doesn't mean you should assume she has kids already. Maybe she does, maybe she doesn't."

"Thanks," he sighs. "That makes me feel better about it, I guess."

"Good," Gina says with a yawn.

"Whatever she is," Natsu declares. "I'm glad I met her, but not for the reason you probably think."

"Hmmmm…" Gina mumbles non-committally.

"Without her," he leans over to whisper in Gina's ear, gently tightening his arm around her middle, "I wouldn't be one step closer to saving you, Gina."

Suddenly, Natsu realizes just how heavy his eyelids have finally become, and he lets sleep finally take over.


	33. Chapter 33 - Water Queen

Levy glances at Gajeel again from across the table in the guildhall. He's watching Gina again, and Levy turns to look at the girl herself. They've been back at the guildhall since yesterday, and are both surprised to see how things between Gina and Natsu have evolved since they left for the nymph colony. They'd hoped Natsu would be able to wake Gina before they returned, but now Natsu looks nearly as ill as Gina. His normally tanned skin has grown slightly dull and there are dark circles beneath his eyes, but he is working hard all the time to look and sound less exhausted than he must really be. This does not bode well for Gina making a full recovery; especially after yesterday's accident.

They had all been able to wrap things up at the nymph colony fairly easily. Elrick paid them for their trouble, despite their explanation that no payment had been required. They had not been given any additional information, but Levy had been hoping to recap more of the details they'd learned with everyone last night. Unfortunately, now doesn't seem like a good time. Leo had been very somber in the brief moments that they'd seen him after he met with Elrick, but when they asked, he said that he had learned one of the nymphs was not likely to make it. Levy's heart hurt at the knowledge, but reminded herself that they had saved most of them despite the odds.

Natsu watches Gina across that distance nearly all the time that he can, but she seems to be itching to get away on her own. Levy decides to ask Gajeel his opinion on everything.

"So, see anything interesting?" Levy asks him, sitting down to his right. He seems to startle slightly as if he didn't notice her approach, and it worries her.

"Nothin' good," he replies softly, bringing his eyes back from Gina. "I guess I was hopin' Salamander would be able to sort it out with the fire magic thing before we got back."

"It looks like it's still draining him too much," she agrees. "Does anyone else have any other ideas?"

"Not that I've heard," Gajeel says with a heavy sigh, and his face is troubled.

"Something else is bothering you," Levy deduces from his expression. "What is it?"

Gajeel shrugs. "Just thinkin' about where things go from here. Salamander is gonna take it pretty hard."

"Well," Levy chokes with a bit of shock. "I'm not going to give up on her just yet. I keep thinking that if I could learn more about the elemental poisoning, maybe it could help. I've tried looking through the Magnolia library, though, and I've come up empty. It's like you can't even search for the subject. I'm about to head back and look to see if there is any lore I can locate on nymphs - anything at all. If so, maybe it could lead me to more information on elemental poisoning from there. It's a long shot, but I've got to try."

"Keep it up, Squirt," he agrees with an unusually soft smile. "If there's anything to find, I know you'll find it. If there's not… We're just gonna have to deal with things as they happen."

* * *

Gina glances in the windows of the shop as she strolls by at midday. She left the guildhall to wait out the painful hours until Natsu will insist on going to bed for the night. She's tempted to have Ming erase her scent to keep him from following her, but knows that if she uses that tool too often he is bound to get suspicious; so, she is saving its next use for when she must escape for the final time. He left to complete a quick job in town with Happy. Lucy seemed to be hovering close by, but Gina managed to give her the slip about an hour ago.

"You don't look well," a woman's alto voice rings loudly from behind her. Gina turns to see a beautiful blonde woman standing there in loose-fitting black slacks and a crystal blue blouse.

"I will be alright," Gina responds politely with a small tired smile.

"You shouldn't lie to your elders," the woman responds with terribly sad eyes. "Especially not when you have so little time left."

Gina's spine straightens in alarm, and she glances around the deserted street. The woman does not appear much older than Gina does, but she knows better than most that looks can be deceiving. Now that she looks more closely, the woman's eyes shine with that indescribable quality that allows age to show when hidden everywhere else. This is no human woman.

"Who are you?" Gina says, standing her ground, but frightened to be caught so unaware.

"My name is Kairi Wells," the woman replies.

 _Wells…_ Gina muses. _A water nymph most likely._ Gina's too weak to reach out and sense her element as she normally would. "Did you split off from the group that left Atlantia? Did everyone make it to safety?"

"Thanks to you and your friends, all the children arrived safe," the woman confirms, "but I am no child. I am their new mother."

 _The Queen!_ Gina realizes in alarm and begins backing away slowly. She should have anticipated this. Her agreement with the nymphs was to keep Fairy Tail uninformed, not their new colony. _Damnit!_ "Why have you come?"

"To see for myself if you were beyond saving," Kairi replies. "I would expect your father and mother to do the same in my position. Is there somewhere we could talk more privately?"

Gina glances up and down the street and sees no one. "This is about as private as my life gets these days," she replies with a weak shrug. "We could sit at the tables outside the cafe next door."

"Very well," Kairi agrees.

After they've taken their seat, Gina realizes the stark difference between herself and the older water Queen. The woman is strikingly beautiful, with a healthy glow to her skin and a shine to her blonde hair. Gina looks terrible in comparison. _I suppose the choice to fade is a choice to die without dignity_ , she accepts with a sigh. A waiter rushes over and takes their order. They both request drinks they will ignore after delivered.

"Why have you done this, Aegina?" Kairi asks.

"It would seem I was not suited to the life I was born to," Gina admits with a shrug.

"I have heard it can be difficult on a Queen to live so long without finding their Sire," Kairi continues to prod, "but I honestly have never heard of one that faded before. How long have you been planning this?"

"Not very long," Gina replies.

"I don't see how that is possible," Kairi counters with a critical expression.

Gina shrugs. "You don't have to believe me, and I don't have to tell you."

"You have written your parents a letter then?" she asks.

Gina finds herself surprised once again. She never even considered attempting to explain herself to her parents. They will feel her death, and will likely be very grieved, but she hadn't considered the questions they would be left with. "No…" Gina admits. "I have not."

"If you wish," Kairi offers. "I can attempt to explain it to them. I had hoped that I could alter your course after arriving here, but you are much more ill than I dared to imagine. The young man keeping you alive seems to be losing his strength as well."

"Yes, Natsu is… stubborn. I will have to escape him soon. I will not be the cause of someone else's death," Gina replies. "The truth is, I would never have courted him if I had realized I was already fading. I don't know much about it and hadn't realized until very recently that it was happening at all. I had been confused by the elemental poisoning, and my body's attempts to boost its own magic source. Then when I finally understood, I didn't want to change it. So, I attempted to leave him behind and die in peace. He has foiled my plans at every step."

"Good for him," Kairi nods with a somber expression.

"No, it's very bad for him," Gina argues, "as you can plainly see. It is killing him, and I'm afraid the pain to his heart will be even worse. They would all have been much better off if I had realized I was dying before I came here, but it is too late to cry over such things. I am just glad I got the opportunity to rescue your girls. At least there was a silver lining in all this mess."

"I still don't understand why you chose it," Kairi presses. "Do you not wish to be a mother?"

"That has nothing to do with it," Gina laughs bitterly. "I haven't found a single suitable person in all this time. They are all too power-hungry, or unfeeling, or the wrong element, or annoying, or just plain unattractive. I will not commit myself to a relationship I do not truly enjoy. No matter what I did or didn't want, it just never worked."

"And this one?" Kairi asks with a quirked eyebrow. "Surely you had heard he was a dragon slayer before you arrived here."

"Believe it or not," Gina growls in irritation, "I have given him every opportunity to be a fire-thirsty monster, and he hasn't even worried me once. He is definitely driven to gain power, but from all accounts, it never seems to be at the expense of anyone else. I think our people's fears about dragon slayers are all hype with no substance. There are four of them in this guild alone, and none of them are slaves to their element."

"Then what was wrong with him?" Kairi challenges.

"His love for the family he already has is too great," Gina sighs wearily. "I will not ask that much death and pain from him."

Kairi sits back in her seat with a stunned expression. "Is he brave?"

Gina wants to shy away from the question, and the others she knows are coming, but she refuses to be a coward. "Occasionally to the point of stupidity," she admits with a slight smile.

"So he can also be selfless," Kairi deduces. "He already lives in a large family. If he did not love you greatly, you would have already faded, I hear. You say he is powerful, but not power-hungry. His loyalty _seems_ apparent, but do you fear he would stray?"

Gina just shakes her head weakly and closes her eyes as tears begin to form.

"Is he passionate?" Kairi continues to ask.

Gina chooses not to answer at all.

"And do you _love_ him?" Kairi whispers.

"It does not matter," Gina croaks, as a tear escapes. "It is too late for that now, and you know it as well as I do. Am I wrong? If I chose to take it back now, I would still die wouldn't I?"

"I do not know," Kairi says in a broken tone. "Elrick thinks you may not be able to sustain your first-born, but we've never seen this before. I do not know what the bond between a Sire and a Queen could change. Perhaps you should try anyway. You could…"

"No," Gina disagrees, not allowing hope to bloom in her heart. She has already endured enough pain without adding the loss of a child to it. "I will _not_ alter my course now. It is not fair to him. He would choose me just to save me, and would not even consider the life it would force him to live, or the pain it could cost."

"Listen to me child," Kairi begs, leaning across the table towards her. "If that is true, it is _the very reason,_ you _must_ choose him. I know you are weary, but you must..."

"I do not wish to discuss this anymore," Gina says, standing to her feet. "You offered to speak to my parents, not to lecture me. I am a Queen with rights to my own choices."

"Wait," Kairi says, rising to her feet also and leaving money on the table. "I am sorry, but it would have been inexcusable for me not to try."

"I understand," Gina concedes, "but you have spoken your piece. Will you return to your family soon?"

"Yes," Kairi nods. "I am scheduled to leave in the morning."

"Could I ask an additional favor of you?" Gina asks.

"It depends on the favor," Kairi replies somberly. "I cannot help you escape him in good conscience."

"That's not what I need," Gina replies, hoping it is true and Gajeel will keep to his promise. "I have a problem with another nymph here in Magnolia."

"Another nymph?" Kairi asks, looking confused. "Is she water?"

"Yes, which is a major part of my problem," Gina sighs. "I would prefer not to confront her alone and risk her poisoning me again. It would only traumatize the poor girl even more."

"Where is she?"

Gina points to the thick storm clouds hovering over an apartment building several blocks away.

"Ah," Kairi sighs. "The poor child must be upset. Do you know which colony she is a part of?"

"I have no idea," Gina admits. "And the guildmaster she is under doesn't even seem to realize what she is. He believes Rain Women are a separate phenomenon from nymphs."

"It is handy…" Kairi acknowledges, "but how do we manage _your_ elemental poisoning?"

"I just bought this," Gina says, holding up a magic tool shaped like a crystal ball, "hoping it would help before I realized you were here. It is supposed to nullify all forms of external magic. I hope."

"Is Natsu close by?" Kairi asks.

"No, but I am very close to death and he has saved me too many times already," Gina growls. "If the orb does not work, do not call him. At least I will die with the dignity of helping one of our kind."

* * *

Gina knocks on the door to Juvia's apartment from within the expanded form of the orb. So far, it seems to be doing the perfect job of keeping the poisonous rain away from her body. She can hear the young girl sobbing from out here in the hallway.

"Yes?" Juvia's water-logged voice calls from inside the apartment like a wail. "Who is it?"

"Juvia, it's Gina," she calls back. "Can I come inside?"

"Oh my gosh, you had better get away from here!" Juvia shouts in apparent panic. "I've already poisoned you once, and I'm so upset about my darling Gray, I just can't hold it together! If I poison you again he will never forgive me!"

"I'm wearing a rain shield this time, Juvia," Gina explains through the door. "It's already raining on me out here in the hallway, and I'm completely safe."

"Really?" Juvia asks, opening the door to peek out at her.

Gina smiles back, and the rain in the hallway immediately ceases; although the rain continues outside where it is more acceptable.

"Who is this?" Juvia asks, looking at Kairi.

"This is my friend Kairi," Gina explains. "We actually have something really urgent to talk to you about. Could we come in?"

"Oh, of course," Juvia says, absorbing the tears on her cheeks back into her body and stepping back from the door to usher them inside. "Is there something I can help you with? After everything I've put you through it's the least I can do."

"Actually, we were hoping to help you," Kairi says, sitting down on Juvia's waterproof couch. "I was hoping to start by asking which colony you are from."

"Colony?" Juvia asks. "I'm… afraid I don't understand. Do you mean the village I was raised in?"

"No, of course not," Kairi laughs. "I mean, which colony you were born into. It is alright. I am also a rain woman."

"Really?!" Juvia squeaks in sudden excitement, the rain outside drying up instantly. "I've never met another person like me before!"

"Who was your mother?" Gina asks, confused.

"My mother's name was Trinity Lockser," Juvia explains. "She and my father adopted me when I was only a baby."

"Good grief," Kairi mumbles. "It is true then that your body is made entirely of water?"

"Yes!" Juvia shouts excitedly. "Is yours too?"

"Yes, of course," Kairi laughs kindly. "Do you mind if I ask if you have any tattoos or birthmarks on your belly?"

"What an odd question…" Juvia says, looking suddenly unsure. "I'm not sure what you're asking me."

"It would look like this," Gina explains, lifting her own shirt to show her Queen's mark.

"Oh, no," Juvia laughs. "Nothing like that."

"How is that possible?" Gina asks Kairi instead of Juvia.

"Juvia, would you be so kind as to place your hand in mine?" Kairi asks.

"Um… I suppose," Juvia replies, hesitantly complying.

"Ah, I see," Kairi says immediately. "She's under a sealing spell. It is not a magic we use except in the most dire circumstances. It is usually only used to hide the most precious member of a colony from detection."

"Wait a minute," Gina chokes. "Are you saying…?"

"Indeed," Kairi sighs. "Makarov seems to have gotten his hands on not one Queen, but two."

"Queen?" Juvia asks. "What on Earthland are you talking about? I'm not royalty."

Gina and Kairi spend the next hour explaining to Juvia that Rain Women are a myth created by the water nymph species. They explain that there are multiple forms of nymphs in various elements and that their society is dependent entirely upon secrecy. They try to explain the basics as best as they can, as Juvia struggles to take it all in.

"With your permission, Juvia," Kairi hedges, "I would like to remove the sealing spell. It may be… uncomfortable."

"Are you saying I won't be able to go back to how I am now?" Juvia asks with fear in her voice.

"No, of course not," Gina rushes to assure her. "You will still be able to take your human form whenever you want, but you _will_ have to be cautious about assuming a pure water state until you get the hang of blurring your form. Your wings will not go away again once they emerge."

"Can you show me first?" Juvia asks.

"Of course, dear," Kairi soothes her, standing up and transforming into her pure water state with three sets of elegant wings.

"It's beautiful…" Juvia whispers. "Yes. Take off the spell if you think there is one."

Kairi begins speaking in Etheria very rapidly, and Juvia's body begins to glow. Juvia groans as she transitions into a pure water state and her back seems to be molding and reshaping itself for a few minutes while Juvia struggles against the pain of the bond. Suddenly, three sets of beautiful, feathered, water wings burst forth from her back and Juvia pants in relief.

"There now," Kairi says gently. "Transition back to your human form when you are ready."

Juvia transitions back immediately, to a fully dressed state. She seems distressed by the realization and elated at the same time.

"Now, may we look at your belly?" Kairi asks.

"Uh… of course," Juvia says, lifting the hem of her shirt to take a look for herself. A Queen's mark stands out boldly against her skin.

"Damion!" Kairi chokes in surprise. "You're one of the daughter's of Atlantia! The missing Queen everyone believed had been killed in the raid. Your Queen must have sealed you before she perished, and sent you away with one of the older siblings."

 _The newborn Queen from the photo with azure blue hair…_ Gina realizes.

"Who is Damion?" Juvia asks.

"A very proud water Sire," Kairi explains. "and your blood father. It is truly a miracle that you have made it on your own for this long, and a testament to how much magical energy a Queen is first born with."

"Why did you say that Makarov had two Queens?" Juvia asks, and Gina flinches against the admission.

Kairi just looks at Gina sadly, but unashamedly, and Gina wants to squirm.

"If you are a nymph, and a water Queen…" Juvia asks Gina directly. "How did my rain harm you?"

Gina sighs heavily and transforms into her pure fire state within her magical orb shield. "I am not a water Queen at all."

"Oh my gosh, you're made of FIRE?!" Juvia shouts in shock. "This is incredible!"

"Juvia please," Gina begs, transitioning back to her human form. "You must understand that according to the laws of our people, my identity is a sacred secret, and you can reveal it to NO ONE. No member of Fairy Tail, or anyone outside of it. I asked Kairi to come here so that she could help me sort this out, and get you proper guidance, but I need you to honor my good faith."

"Natsu…" Juvia suddenly whispers. "I… I don't understand. You said all Queens must seek out a… a _Sire_ you called it, right? Is that what he will be for you? Why are you making him so sick? Why are you sick? How…"

"That is a lot of questions, and there is a lot more you must learn about your role as a Queen," Gina says, dodging the question. "I think the best idea, for now, is for you to return to Kairi's colony with her for an intensive series of training. We can describe it to Makarov as an extended job."

"If she is going to be my daughter, I will not allow you to withhold the information from her," Kairi suddenly barks.

"Your… _daughter_?" Juvia gasps.

"Yes, Juvia," Kairi says gently. "My Sire, Elrick, and I have already adopted your sisters recently, and I would like it if you would consider joining our colony temporarily until you establish your own with the Sire of your choice. Going without the bond of a Sire for so long can have serious health complications for a nymph, including some of the difficulty you've been experiencing in controlling your effect on the weather. If left unchecked… it can eventually lead to extreme illness and death, which Gina herself is experiencing now."

"This…" Juvia looks up suddenly with a shocked expression, "this is why you're… oh heavens! My darling Gray and the others have been worried sick! You're _dying_ from a lack of _love?!_ But I have seen Natsu's feelings for you with my own eyes!"

Gina doesn't know how to answer her.

"Gina has chosen death over Natsu," Kairi says simply, and Gina feels her temper flare.

"Well…" Juvia says with a tremble to her voice, "I guess he _is_ rather childish, and…"

"This has nothing to do with Natsu!" Gina shouts, before feeling weak in the knees and crumpling to the floor.

Juvia reaches out to help her, but Kairi snatches her hand back in a flash.

"You cannot touch her, child," Kairi says in a pained voice. "Your very touch is poison, and so is mine. Gina believes she is beyond saving now, and she may be right. She is much older than she appears, and has been without the love of a serious relationship for a very long time."

"I…" Gina chokes back against her tears, hating this weakness, "I never meant to hurt him. I swear. Soon I will be gone, and he will be able to move on with his life."

Outside, the rain begins beating down upon the rooftops once again for a few moments, and then it begins to rain inside. Gina curls up within her protective orb, trying to gather the strength to leave and face her dragon slayer once again.

* * *

Gajeel sits at the lone table beside the stairs with his leather boots propped up on another wooden chair. Sleep has been elusive this past couple of nights, since their return from the water nymph colony. He has his back to the room as a clear communication to leave him the hell alone, but he hears someone being stupid enough to approach him anyway. There are only a few people here tonight, but a quick whiff makes him realize it's Gina herself that's approaching with no Natsu hot on her heels.

 _This is finally it then…_ he sighs deeply.

Her fingertips touch his shoulder gently and trail down his arm teasingly until she takes a seat at his side. She's in a dark cloak that shields her from view from whatever prying eyes might be in the room. Her hand stays resting on his forearm in a slightly sensual gesture, but her eyes are tired and haunted beneath the cloak.

"You trying to give me the wrong impression, lady?" he growls.

"No," she whispers. "I'm trying to give everyone _else_ the wrong impression. Surely, they won't look too closely if they think the iron dragon slayer is having a late night tryst. They certainly won't be looking for me."

"Interesting idea," he acknowledges, respecting the sly nature of her mind. "How did you ditch hot-head at this hour?"

"I have been putting him out with sleep magic for a while now," she sighs. "He is too weak to allow him much time for… well, to try and help me more when we're together. He's so worn out, he'll probably stay asleep even without me keeping him under."

"So what do you want?" he asks, cutting to the chase.

"I want you to keep your promise," she insists in a firmer but no louder voice. "I cannot get away from him on my own, and I do not want him to watch me die. There would be too great a risk of him killing himself trying to save me. Surely, you see that now."

"Mmm-hmm," Gajeel nods, taking a deep gulp of his beer. "When?"

"Tomorrow night," she whispers, so quietly not another soul but him could hear her. "It must be soon. I've already taken too long waiting for you to get back."

"Alright," he sighs, feeling immediate pain at what this means for his own future. "Meet me at this same hour tomorrow. Dump your crap at the train station before meetin' me. I'll arrange another way out'a town."

"Thank you," she whispers, standing up and kissing him gently on the forehead.

He feels immediately nauseous at the smell of Natsu all over her, and the thought of the betrayal he's about to hand out like it's a gift. No one in Fairy Tail is likely to forgive him for this one, and he wouldn't even ask them to. He wrestles back a tear from his eye as he remembers how they welcomed him with open arms for some, and guarded hearts for the rest. Eventually, they all yielded, which is more than he expected or deserved. Leaving Levy will hurt the worst, but it's probably for the best. She deserves better than him anyway; always has.

 _Goodbye Fairy Tail,_ he calls to them all within the confines of his mind. _It was one hell of a ride._


	34. Chapter 34 - Goodbye

Natsu stares up at the job board, frustrated. He's running out of local jobs that are even worth the time pretty quickly. The kids like Romeo in the guild would be complaining more about him taking their work if they didn't know about the bind he was in, and he wishes he could make it up to them somehow. He can't risk anything that's not strictly local, and within running distance back to Gina. After the crazy poisonous rain event, even that makes him nervous.

"See anything?" Happy asks from beside his feet.

"Not really," Natsu admits. "Unless we want to start tracking down missing pets."

"It would be pretty easy with your nose at least," Happy sighs. "We can probably round up every missing pet in town by dinner time."

"I guess that works," Natsu says, reaching for the poster for a missing pit bull.

"Natsu!" Juvia's voice shouts from the doorway to Makarov's office. "Thank the stars!"

"Huh?" he mumbles, "What's up, Juvi…Ah!" Juvia grabs him by the arm and starts towing him out of the guild hall. "What the heck are you doin?"

"Shhh…" she spins around fixing him with a half-crazed, half-panicked look. "Please, be quiet."

"O-kay," he says, slightly freaked out by her intensity.

Once they are outside, Juvia tows him around to the side of the building, and starts whispering so quietly only a dragon slayer could hear her. "Oh heavens, I am so lucky you're here. I don't know what to do. I want to help, but I can't, and everything could go so wrong so fast, I just…"

"Juvia," he whispers back, grabbing her firmly by the shoulders and shaking her slightly. "Breathe. Then talk."

Juvia takes a huge fortifying breath, and then to his horror, begins to cry.

"Whoa, wait!" he says. "Don't cry! I don't know where Gina is!"

That seems to sober Juvia quickly and she takes another deep breath, but storm clouds begin building above them anyway.

"I have to leave, Natsu," Juvia says. "I'm going out on a job, and it's going to be a pretty long one. I'm so glad I got to see you before I go, though. You have to help Gina."

Natsu feels pain shoot straight through his chest, and his face crumples. "I'm trying," he says. "I'm doin' everything I know how to do. I swear, I..."

"Make love to her!" Juvia says, shaking him back.

"WHAT?!" Natsu says, jumping back in shock. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You love her, don't you?" Juvia asks.

Love? His mind spins around the question. He cares about her. He's fighting for her. He craves her touch more than fire itself. Do I love her? "What the heck does that have to do with anything?" he asks instead.

"She's… agh!" Juvia whisper-shouts in frustration. "She's a woman Natsu. Women need to be loved. You have to show her how you feel! Overwhelm her with passion! Let her know you will have no rival for her affections! Make her yours and everything will be fine!"

"Have you lost your mind?!" Natsu screeches back in a whisper. He feels suddenly trapped back in the conversation with Laxus and his strange instructions. Make her want to stay...

"Why don't you understand the need for a bond between a woman and…"

"Juvia?" a female voice he doesn't recognize calls from behind them. "Juvia, we're going to be late for the train." In the distance, he can make out a beautiful blonde woman, but he's never seen her before.

"Oh no, the Q-client," Juvia says, stumbling over her words. "I have to go. Promise me, Natsu. Make love to her."

Juvia bolts off to meet with the woman before even waiting for a reply, and then they turn towards the train station.

"It's official," Happy says, hovering over his shoulder. "Everyone's losing their marbles over Gina."

"You're tellin' me…" Natsu croaks.

"So are you gonna do it?" Happy asks with an evil laugh.

"Shut up!" Natsu barks back. "You'd better not whisper a word about this, Happy, or I'll make you pay for it!"

"Oh, come on," Happy whines. "Are you sayin' you don't wanna? Liar, liar, pants on fire!"

"I am not talking to you about it," Natsu says.

"Why not?" Happy whines.

"Because you're not old enough!" Natsu barks back.

* * *

Gina stares down at the blank piece of paper with despair. How can I possibly explain this to my parents? It feels too much like a suicide note, but she reminds herself that's not what this is. She is dying of natural causes; sort of. Maybe I should write it more like my will... She tries to think of other things which need to be finalized other than explanations and comes up with nothing. Frustrated, she walks away from the pen and paper and decides to finish packing her things.

Gajeel had instructed her to dump her belongings at the train station, so she imagined they must not actually be taking the train. Gajeel doesn't do so well on a train anyway.

"I could use some help," she says to Ming, as she fights against the pain wracking her body.

He reluctantly skitters down the bedpost to help her collect things. She grabs her smallest satchel and tries to decide on a second outfit to pack. She will wear her traveling outfit. She glances at the interesting night clothes Natsu bought for her. They are quite possibly the most impractical thing she could bring, but they are also one of the only things he bought for her. She shoves them in the satchel with an extra pair of plain pants. She can pull off Cana's look if she needs to. A moment later, she realizes that she will have to wear them tonight before Natsu falls asleep, so she takes them out again and tosses them back on the bed. She packs her tokens, a few toiletries, and her jewel purse into the bag last.

Next, she opens her larger bags. She collects everything else she owns and begins shoving it haphazardly inside: traveling outfits, evening gowns, trinkets from past relationships and guild jobs across Earthland. Ming is dragging over one of her evening gowns in his teeth when her sketchbook falls out of it and clatters to the floor; spilling its pages everywhere. Ming hops down and begins examining the pages. Gina freezes at the sight and then kneels down to collect them; gently examining each one.

Every Queen is responsible for creating what her people call their Siren's Song. Originally it was practiced exclusively as an actual story song, until the practice became adapted over time by the less-musically-inclined. The story was somewhat of a chronology of the Queen's life with an emphasis on how she met and chose her Sire. The Siren's Song would be sung, or told, to the Queen's children as a form of historic preservation, and instruction on lessons learned.

Gina's mother had desperately hoped she would create a musical version, but a beautiful singing voice was definitely not something Gina was gifted with. Instead, she has found her muse in drawing. She glances at the faces of her former lovers, and some of her friends, wondering just how many of them have already been lost to time. She can't remember when she stopped sketching; so, she flips to the last sketched page.

Ah. That makes sense. Laxus stares back at her in the sketch from his perch as he issues instructions to the Thunder Legion. This was just before she decided to leave him, before she began to hate what she was. She'd stopped sketching after that. There had been no point to sketch anymore unless it looked like she would actually find a Sire.

That's it! She realizes, as her heart kicks up its rhythm. This is how I explain. If she cannot find the words, she can create pictures to illustrate her heart and her choice. If she could simply get the sketchbook back to her family, they would understand its significance if no one else did.

"I'm going to draw my story, Ming," she says, stroking his little head. "I'm going to finish it. Can you help get it back to my family?"

Ming hangs his head, but nods in agreement.

"Good," she says. "I'd better get to work."

* * *

"Gina?" Natsu calls as he enters his home. He can smell her presence and Ming's immediately, but there's a strange hint of something new. Pencil lead. "Are you writing something?"

"Um, no," she says, coming from around the corner in obvious pain. He growls in irritation that she didn't call him home again like he insists every morning she is supposed to do. "I was drawing."

"He pulls off his overcoat quickly and pulls her up against his body. "Sorry," he mumbles. "I've been running around all day, so I probably smell."

Gina laughs, actually truly laughs.

"That's funny coming from a dragon slayer," she says, taking a deep breath in against his collarbone, "Actually, you smell pretty good. You just smell like you."

"And that's a good thing?" he asks, skeptically.

"Ummmm… yeah," she says with a sweet but exhausted smile. There is a dusting of pencil lead on her fingertips and cheek.

"Can I see what you're drawing?" he asks.

Gina goes very still for a moment, then seems to relax again.

"Sure, I guess." She walks over to a medium sized sketchbook and turns to a specific page. "You can see this one."

Natsu glances down at the page and begins to laugh. It is a drawing of his room, well their room now. She's captured all the tiny details down to the patterns on his sheets and Ming's little hammock above his bed. Ming is perched in the hammock in the image.

"Why did you draw this?" he asks.

"I spend a lot of my time here," she says. "I could draw it without leaving the cabin too. For this one, I had to sit outside."

She turns back a page, and he sees a perfect sketch of the front of his cabin and yard.

"Wow, that's really amazing," he says, but she shuts the sketchbook and tucks it away beneath one of her small bags on the table.

"Thanks," she says with a smile. "Where is Happy?"

"Oh," Natsu says, suddenly feeling overwhelmingly embarrassed. Happy had insisted on staying over at Lucy's so that Natsu could 'carry out Juvia's plan.' Natsu told him he was full of it, and to stop being an ass, but the Exceed just laughed and went home with Lucy anyway. "Uh, he uh, is stayin' at Lucy's place tonight."

"Why are you blushing?" Gina asks with a curious grin.

"Nothin'," Natsu says too quickly, "I just. I uh. … Uh … he was being a jerk!"

"Okay," she says. "I won't ask anymore. Did you already eat at the guildhall?"

"Even better," Natsu says. "I brought some of Mira's cooking home with me."

Natsu walks over and lights the fire in his portable fire pit, and drags it up beside his couch. He pulls out the food and sets it on his small table, expecting Gina to sit next to him. To his surprise, she walks into the bathroom to change. By the time she comes out, he has set out the food on plates for them and started digging into his own. Gina picks her plate up and begins to pick at the food.

"Aw, come on," he gripes. "Mira's pot roast is the best."

"You're right," she says. "It is very good."

To his surprise, she finishes the plate of food without another word of complaint or excuse. Then she gathers up their plates and takes them into the kitchen. He decides to take the opportunity to change into his shorts. When he comes out of the bathroom, she's dragged the fire pit over beside the bed.

"Your bed is fireproof, right?" she asks.

"Uh, yeah," he says, feeling confused.

"I'd like to watch the fire tonight," she mumbles. "Do you mind?"

"Sure," he says with a shrug, crawling up into bed.

Gina crawls up right after him and pulls his arm over across her middle. She laces her fingers with his and tucks their hands between the edge of her belly and the mattress. They both watch the flames dance over the wood in the pit for a long time. Spooning with her always feels incredibly intimate, but for some reason, her choice to hold his hand only increases that sense. He cradles her frail little body against his chest.

Natsu loves the scent of her, and the way it's permeated his home in her brief time here. He feels utterly exhausted tonight, which is beginning to worry him. He might have to come up with some way to boost his magic artificially soon. Her little body is trembling with her back against his stomach, and her head tucked beneath his chin. He's never considered using magic enhancers, knowing they could mess a wizard up bad in the long run, but if it was for Gina then maybe it would be worth trying. He's not sure how much time passes before he hears the faintest of whispers from her.

"Natsu?" Gina's voice sounds so small and distant that he rolls her towards him gently, to see her face. She looks so sad as her eyes meet his that his entire chest hurts just looking at her.

"Yeah?" he asks, searching her eyes for what could have disturbed her so much. "What is it?"

"I just…" she whispers, and as she squeezes her eyes shut for a moment. "I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry."

"What for?" he asks, wiping away her tears with his thumbs.

"I should never have come here," Gina chokes. "I should never have come to Fairy Tail in the first place. Please… believe me when I say that I wish I didn't have to hurt any of you."

"Hey, whoa," he protests, gathering her up tightly against his chest and giving her a little shake. "Don't you dare give up on me. You got it? We can beat this thing, Gina. We just gotta stay focused."

"I'm out of time, Natsu," she whispers with a sad smile. "I think you know that."

"Shut up!" he barks, shaking her again and fighting back tears in his own eyes now.

No matter what he tries, she's getting weaker by the day. Every night she draws from his magic, and every day he does everything he can to replenish it. He's eating more food and taking fewer jobs. He hasn't challenged anyone to a fight in at least a week. But she's still slipping away, and he's terrified that he'll lose her entirely if she gives up.

"Maybe we should have you spend time with more of the other fire mages in Fairy Tail," he proposes. "We haven't tried Macao yet. Even Romeo! There's other things we can try."

"You're the strongest fire mage in Fairy Tail," she says with a teary-eyed chuckle. "Maybe in all of Fiore. We both know that isn't going to work, or you would have made me do it already."

"Dammit, Gina! I'm not giving up on you. You've got to keep fighting. You have to..." he chokes, desperate to find the words to convince her. "I…"

I want you to stay! he screams inside his own head as he clenches his jaw and eyes shut. He's embarrassed to feel water begin trailing down his face.

"Shhhh…" she soothes him, bringing her arms around him to stroke the back of his neck with her little hands.

He's stunned for a moment as he feels her lips against his cheek, just below his right eye, then his left. She's using little butterfly kisses against his skin to kiss away his tears. He opens them to stare down at her in surprise, and he suddenly wishes with all his might that he could open up his very chest to tuck her inside and keep her safe.

The expression in her eyes is more gentle than he's ever seen. He's seen this look before, but never directed at him. He's seen it on Bisca's face when she looks at her husband Alzack. Sometimes he's seen it on Evergreen's face when she thinks no one sees her looking at Elfman. Hell, he's even seen it in Lucy's eyes when she looks at Gray lately. The fact that Gina is looking at him that way makes it suddenly hard to breathe. Juvia's words echo inside his mind again. Make love to her!

He turns his head only slightly, pausing with his lips only a breath away from hers. He hovers there, unsure of himself until Gina closes the distance. Her lips are soft and warm against his own, and at first, his entire body tightens in shock at the mixture of overwhelming joy and near panic that races through him. He's kissed her before, but never like this. It was in the heat of the moment for show, or in a half-sleep state of confusion. This is Gina kissing him for real; for no reason he understands at all. He feels embarrassingly inexperienced.

She molds her lips against his upper lip, and then his lower, in an almost teasing way. Her fingertips are working little circles against the back of his neck as her other hand threads her fingers up through his hair behind his head. A groan slips free from his chest as he melts into her, finally kissing her back and drinking in the sweet fiery flavor of her mouth. As her tongue traces his lower lip, he opens to taste it hesitantly with his own.

This should have been our first kiss… he realizes. It's so much sweeter and sexier than he could have imagined. He's more desperate than he's ever been to keep her from slipping away from him. Maybe Laxus was right… Hell, maybe Juvia's right! Maybe I can convince her to stay.

He lets himself grow greedy with his kisses, kissing her like he kissed the nymph in the woods; communicating with his body what he can't find the right words for. He rolls his weight onto her slightly, loving the way her body presses softly against his chest and stomach. He trails his hand possessively down her side. Then he threads one hand into her hair as the other massages the back of her thigh and kisses her like he's dying for the taste of her. He can feel his magic pouring into her as the very air in his lungs mixes with hers. She breaks away with a gasp, and he takes the opportunity to trail his lips and tongue down her throat.

"Natsu," her voicebox hums against his lips, and his body trembles in pleasure at hearing his name pour from her.

"Gina, you taste like heaven," he admits, starting to suckle at the side of her neck.

"Oh God," she whispers and her fingers are suddenly against his temples. "I'm sorry," she says in a jarringly broken voice.

He pulls back and tries to look up at her face, but his eyelids suddenly feel heavy and his body begins turning to lead.

"What?" he mumbles numbly, struggling to see her clearly.

"I can't do this to you," she whimpers. "I'm so sorry Natsu. Forgive me."

Then, fighting her sleep spell with all the strength he has left, he succumbs to the encroaching darkness.

* * *

Gina stumbles towards the stone pillar at the side of the bridge; biting her hand to keep from crying anymore. She sees Gajeel standing there, wearing the darkness around him like a second skin. His red eyes glow with intensity as he looks her over, and his mouth presses into a thin line. She can see questions brewing in his eyes, but she clutches her hand over her mouth instead of biting it, and shakes her head in denial. She can't answer his questions here, and not now.

She turns towards the magic mobile, but she stumbles again in her exhaustion. Suddenly the steel bands of his arms lift her up against his chest and deposit her inside. Ming crawls out of her bag and begins rubbing himself in circles against her stomach; trying to calm her. Gajeel shuts the door without a word and walks back around to the magic mobile's front seat. He hooks his arm into the SE plug that allows him to drive the vehicle off his own magic power and takes off down the pitch-black streets of Magnolia without a word.

* * *

Natsu begins to feel his body slowly, as he realizes he's lying face down in his bed. Trying to rouse himself from sleep feels like he's clawing his way out of a bathtub full of molasses. Gina's intoxicating scent is everywhere; an odd mixture of her usual fiery sweetness blended with a new sexual note that has his senses screaming to alertness. His mind begins flooding with images and sensations from last night: the feel of her body, the taste of her mouth and her skin, the pain in her voice. His arms shoot out to his sides, sweeping desperately, but her warmth is gone.

He pushes up onto his hands and knees, but loses his balance and tumbles off the edge of the mattress and onto the floor; knocking the ashes from the fire pit all over himself.

"Gina?!" he shouts, gripping his head against the dizziness. He looks around the room, and she's nowhere in sight. Light is streaming in through the windows so strongly, it must be past noon already. "Gina! Where are you?!"

"Natsu, she's gone!" Happy cries from the livingroom, flying towards him. "I just got here a few minutes ago. I thought it was weird that she wasn't in bed with you, but then I realized her stuff is gone too! I tried to wake you up, but you wouldn't budge! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" he shouts, standing to his feet. "We need to head out and…"

The world tips on its side, and for some reason his mind can't quickly explain, Natsu realizes he's upside down.

"What is wrong with you?!" Happy asks, skipping up and patting his little paws against Natsu's face. "Why did you fall on your head?"

"I… I don't know," Natsu admits. "I feel really… weak."

"You look awful," Happy says in a frightened voice. "I mean it Natsu. I've never seen you look this bad before. Should I go get help?"

"No," Natsu denies adamantly. "There's no time. We have to find her."

"How are we gonna do that when you can't even stand up?!"

"Can you carry me, buddy?" Natsu asks, pushing back up onto his knees.

"Aye!" Happy agrees, grabbing Natsu by his trembling shoulders.

* * *

Gajeel glares at the train conductor, who is looking worried about the limp woman he's carrying onto the train. The man looks like he's going to protest anyway so Gajeel spits a quick, "You know a faster way to get her to the medical specialist, Jackass?"

"Oh, forgive me," the man says, looking suddenly sheepish. "Is there anything we can get to make her more comfortable?"

Gajeel glances down at the pained expression on Gina's face and barks a quick, "Some extra pillows in our room, and a hell of a lot of quiet."

"Right away sir," the conductor nods, waving his hands at the staff member down the hall.

Gajeel makes his way down the hall carefully and lies Gina down on the small bed in the room he booked for them on this train. He hates trains, but he's already driven most of the night. He's been pushing the magic mobile like hell and nearly burned out the SE plug on the thing before they reached the edge of this town. Putting some distance between them and Fairy Tail is a challenge that might be impossible, but he promised her he would try. He's trying to avoid straight lines and obvious routes; crossing water as often as possible. Now he needs some answers before he can rest.

He watches Gina curl in on herself in obvious pain.

"Is it going to be like this until the end?" he asks, and she nods in affirmation. "Is there anything that will help?" She shakes her head in denial.

"Damn," he says, rubbing a weary hand over his face. "Why the hell can't I smell you?"

The little ferret pops his head out of her only small bag and runs up his leg. "What the…?" Gajeel objects, as the animal begins circling his body and chattering loudly. After a few moments he stops, and Gajeel's eyes bulge in surprise. He sniffs his own arm and smells nothing. Not a single trace of scent. "Well, I'll be damned. Why the hell didn't you use this when you ran the first time?"

"I tried to," Gina squeaks out, glaring at the little ferret. "He wasn't cooperating."

The fact that the animal is playing along now is even more convincing to Gajeel that Gina is beyond saving, and it hurts like hell. He takes another close look at her, and his eyes freeze on a tiny red mark on the side of her neck. Oh shit… She's been openly sobbing since he first took off in the magic mobile, and only tapered off into silent weeping an hour or so before they arrived in town.

"Look, Spitfire," he chokes. "I get that it's really, really none of my business, but I've gotta ask. You're obviously more than a little upset. You've got a little love bite on your neck too. Did you know that?"

She places her hand against the wrong side of her neck in surprise. "I do?"

"Shit, Lady. Did you guys, uh…?"

"I have never had sex with Natsu," she says completely seriously. "He was… interested, but…" her face crumples again and she croaks out, "I couldn't do that to him."

"Oh, thank God," Gajeel breathes, flopping back against his own mattress as relief washes over him.

The last thing he needs is that to add to Natsu's rage. He wouldn't have blamed her if they had. She was dying after all, and sex would certainly be on most people's bucket list. It would guarantee a death match between him and Natsu, though, and he is still foolishly trying to avoid that.

"Where is your guild stamp?!" Gina suddenly cries in alarm.

He was hoping she wouldn't notice that it was missing. He'd removed it from his arm before he met her at the bridge. "I'm not doing this as a member of Fairy Tail," he explains. "I'm keeping my word as the Iron Dragon Slayer to a dying friend. My other friends are going to be more than a little pissed at me over it."

"You can't quit the guild!" Gina shrieks in horror.

Gajeel shrugs. "If they'll take me back, I won't object, but I'm not going to assume."

"No," Gina starts crying again. "Get off the train before it leaves, Gajeel! You hate these things any…" Gina grits her teeth so hard, he worries they might break, then pants for a few moments. "Please, go. You have already helped me."

"And leave these people to find your body in here after I brought you in?" he scoffs. "You can't be serious."

"At least get off at the next station…" she keeps arguing, and the fact that it's costing her more energy is pissing him off.

"Shut up, Spitfire!" he orders. "You picked me for this job, and now you're stuck with me! If you want to make my life easier on your way out then stop arguing, and let me do my thing. I've managed just fine long before you came along, and this'll be no different."

Gina stops arguing, and her tears just keep flowing freely down her face. Ming is rubbing his little body against her cheek now, and his little chirps sound more and more like whimpering by the minute. Gajeel wishes he knew how to make this better for her. How the hell do you help someone you care about die gracefully?

"Now…" he says clearing his throat, and placing a hand on her arm. "I'm gonna guess that you can't be where you'd really like to be for this thing, but…" Gajeel is suddenly distracted by the fact that he can feel magical energy flowing from his body into hers. It's flowing right down his arm to where he is touching her.

What the hell?! I thought only Salamander could… I don't use Fire, I use Iron!

When he glances back at Gina's face, it has relaxed into the expression he'd expect to see if Wendy was applying pain-killing magic in the field.

"Look me in the eye right now!" he barks at her.

Gina's eyes snap open and they look slightly glazed-over, but she struggles to focus on him.

"You'd better tell me the truth, Gina," he says in his most intimidating tone. "I can feel you drawing magic from me, just like you've been doing from Salamander. Is this something all of us could do?"

"Not enough," she says with a slur.

"What?" he presses, giving her a small shake.

"It would never be enough," she forces out, meeting his eyes with the ring of truth. "I told you. It would… just delay… the inevitable. It would not stop it. It's… too late."

Too late, her words ring in his head. Then he remembers Salamander's stupid grin back in Atlantia. 'Glad she isn't hoping for it,' Natsu had said. If there was a time to save her, she seems to have withheld just enough information for just long enough to run out of options. It definitely seems now like she had been trying to die after all.

Damnit all to hell!

"If you don't have much time left," Gajeel grumbles with pain in his chest, "Where would you like to be when… you uh…?"

"If it's not too much trouble," she whispers. "I just want to die in the sunlight."


	35. Chapter 35 - Iron Dragon

"GINA?!" Natsu screams, being drug by the shoulders as Happy bursts through the front door of the guild hall.

"Somebody HELP!" Happy screams, terrified of how weak Natsu is, lying limply in his paws. He flies straight into the room and sets his best friend down on the floor just before his Aera magic wings disappear, and his own strength gives out. "WENDY! CARLA! HELP!"

"Oh my goodness!" Wendy screeches, running over from the far end of the room with her arms outstretched and already glowing blue.

Carla hurries along behind her, breathing a faint, "What has happened to the young man?!"

"Gina's gone…" Natsu says, panting hard, and pushing up to look around the room; ignoring Wendy's hands trying to heal him. "I have to… find her…"

"What the hell is goin' on?" Gray's voice booms from the other end of the room. "Natsu?! Bloody hell…" Gray rushes over and crouches over Natsu's shoulders, turning him over.

"He's so weak!" Wendy cries in fear. "His whole magic system is nearly bone-dry!"

"We should get him up off the floor!" Gray shouts.

"I've got him!" Elfman shouts, just shoving Gray aside and tossing Natsu over his shoulder. He carries him over to the nearby table and lays him out on it, but Natsu tries to struggle away from him.

"AREN'T ANY OF YOU LISTENING TO ME?!" Natsu screams in a rage he has no real energy for. Gray isn't wearing a shirt anymore, so Natsu grabs a fist-full of his silver necklace. "GRAY! You have to go after her! Help me find her! EVERYONE GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!"

"NATSU!" Erza's most commanding tone bursts through from above them, and they all snap to attention out of fearful habit. "Pull yourself together! Stop fighting us, and start telling us what you need."

Before he gets the chance to, Lucy's voice trails in from the front of the guildhall, sounding confused and unfocused, "Does anyone know why on Earthland all of Gina's stuff is in a dumpster by the train station?"

Natsu tries to catapult himself off the table again, but has no strength to fight the at least 10 pairs of hands holding him down. "Lucy!" he screeches. "Get them off me!"

"What is going on?!" Lucy cries, running over and placing a hand against his face. "Oh my God Natsu, all your color is drained! What happened?! Where is Gina?!"

"THAT"S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY!" Natsu howls. "SHE'S GONE! SHE'S GIVING UP, AND SHE'S GONE! I DON'T KNOW HOW, BUT SHE DIDN'T LEAVE A SCENT BEHIND! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TRACK HER!"

"Give the young fool this," Makarov says, hopping up on the table and handing a large bottle of tonic to Erza.

Natsu grabs it, takes a long swallow, and immediately gags. "What is this shit?!"

"It will help your magic system replenish twice as fast," Makarov grumbles. "But it won't work with repeated uses. You've only got one or two chances with it, according to Porlyusica."

Natsu tosses his head back and chugs the bottle, obviously suffering as he does so. "Oh man…" he groans at the end, looking like he's fighting his worst case of nausea ever. Then suddenly, he face-plants on the table top.

"Natsu?!" Happy screams, running over to shake his shoulder.

"It will also knock him out in order to work," Makarov comments with a cheeky grin.

"What do we do Master?" Erza asks.

"I'm not kidding about Gina's stuff being in the dumpster," Lucy adds. "That's got to be a bad sign, right? Do you think she left on the train?"

"Where is Gajeel?" Gray asks. "Without Natsu's nose, we're gonna need him."

"I haven't seen him all morning," Levy says, joining the conversation from the far side of the room. "I could go check his apartment."

"But Natsu said there wasn't a scent to follow," Wendy says, still running her hands along Natsu to heal him as much as she can. "I'm not sure either of us will be able to do much without that."

"Oh, right," Gray says, looking sheepish. "Sorry, Wendy."

"It's okay," she replies with a smile. "Gajeel is a more experienced tracker than I am anyway."

"Anyone care for my two cents?" Cana chimes in from the bar, hunched over her early-morning beer.

"You know somethin' we should?" Gray asks, turning towards her as everyone else in the room does also.

Cana turns around slowly and looks for a moment like she's trying to decide whether to answer him or not. She leans back against the bar top with her elbows and lets out a big sigh. "You want to follow Gajeel's scent, not Gina's."

"Wouldn't that just slow us down?" Erza points out.

"No, because I would bet my bra that he ran off with Natsu's girlfriend last night," Cana replies with a grimace.

"He what?!" Lucy shouts in disbelief.

"What are you talking about?" Levy demands.

"Look, I can prove it," Cana says, raising her hands in a defensive posture. "I placed a tracking card in the pocket of his coat last night." She throws a blinking playing card at the map on the bar wall, and it sticks just north of the city of Kunugi. "If he isn't with her, why is he so far out of town? I've seen him with her the last couple of nights. Then last night, I decided to read their cards while they were here. Death showed up on Gina's, and the Guardian showed up on Gajeel's again and again. I'm telling you… he's helping her make a break for it."

"But why?" Levy breathes.

"Because," Panther Lily's deep bass voice booms from the front door and everyone turns to see him standing tall in his battle cat form, his face etched deeply with anger. "He made her a foolish promise."

"What kind of promise?" Happy asks.

"One that she would probably prefer to be kept private," Panther Lily sighs, "but Cana is right. He locked me into a closet in the apartment before he left to keep me out of it. He is guarding her until she is finally gone from this world."

"What do we do?!" Lucy cries.

"You all…" Natsu says, pushing up off the table with trembling arms.

"Good heavens, boy! Stay down!" Makarov shouts in disbelief.

"Can stay here if you want…" Natsu continues, ignoring him, and starting to drag himself off the table. "But I'm gonna stop her. I'm not… gonna let her… die."

"She doesn't seem to be giving you a choice!" Makarov objects again.

Natsu chuckles without humor. "No one… ever does."

"I'm coming with you," Lucy says, getting beneath his arm. "Let's go get her."

"Wait, everyone!" Mirajane's voice rings out, and they all turn back towards the bar. "Master Makarov, you need to see this!" Mirajane shoves a stack of papers at Makarov and he begins sifting through them. "It's a job that came in late last night."

"What does that have to do with Gina?" Gray asks.

"I'm not sure yet. It's a job just north of Mt. Hakobe," Mirajane explains. "It's a ghost hunting job. It was sent to Fairy Tail, and only Fairy Tail for a reason."

"What do you mean, Sis?" Elfman asks, pushing his broad shoulders in to look at the images from the request pages himself.

"Look at the pictures the town's people have drawn!" she exclaims.

"Holy shit!" Gray shouts, lifting up a perfect drawing of himself in his underwear.

"They drew these?" Erza asks in a stunned voice.

There are dozens and dozens of drawings of wizards wearing Fairy Tail guild stamps. Some are identical images of current members like, Gray, Lucy, and even Wendy. Others bear striking resemblances to members like Erza, Gajeel and others, but are not quite accurate. Erza grabs a drawing of a woman that looks very similar to her in appearance, who is wearing some kind of flame-empress-like armor, but in a very different style than Erza uses. Strangely, the woman's guild stamp is also on her right thigh, in a completely different location than where Erza wears it on her arm.

"This has got to be a trick right?" Lucy asks. "Or a trap?"

"Why the heck did they say it was a ghost hunting job, Sis?" Elfman asks.

"Apparently these people are appearing and disappearing within the town at random," Mirajane explains. "Sometimes they're able to interact with objects and people. Other times they appear ghostly, and completely walk through walls or other obstacles as if they're not even there. The town is convinced they're being haunted by former members of Fairy Tail, and demands that we exercise them."

"I still don't get what this has to do with Gina…" Cana chimes in.

"I found this in the bottom of the stack," Mirajane says in a whisper as she lies one more sketch down on the table in front of everyone.

The identity of the woman in the sketch is unquestionable, and it is by far the most detailed of all the sketches. Gina is lying limply in someone's arms, as they appear to be walking. You can only see the man's torso and arms, so there is no way to tell who is carrying her. He appears to be wearing some kind of patterned dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. It is also disturbingly unclear whether Gina is even alive in the image. Her head is rolled back with her long hair trailing down to the bottom of the sketch. Her eyes are open, but seem unfocused or possibly empty. Her face is slack and her arms are hanging haphazardly at her sides.

"Good heavens…" Makarov chokes out, lifting the sketch to analyze it more carefully.

Natsu tumbles towards Makarov, snatching the sketch as he loses his footing and hits the ground hard. He stares at it in obvious horror for a moment, before shutting his eyes and gritting his teeth.

"Natsu, this doesn't mean…" Lucy attempts to encourage him, but is cut off by a sudden loud banging on the front door of the guildhall which startles them all out of their thoughts.

As the banging rings out again, Panther Lily steps back towards the door and opens it. There is a messenger standing there with a letter in his hands.

"Can I help you?" Panther Lily asks.

"I have a delivery for a, uh… Mr. Dragneel," the messenger declares. "No first name listed."

"Mr. Dragneel?" Elfman laughs.

"Who the hell would call you Mr. Dragneel?" Gray wonders aloud.

"Gina!" Natsu says, popping up again, only to topple into a chair. "Gina has once. Bring me that thing already!"

"Really?" Lucy can't help but laugh. "When did she call you that?"

"She was lecturing me about something," he replies with a shrug. "Can't really remember."

Panther Lily shrinks to his tiny Exceed stature and flies the sealed envelope over to Natsu. Natsu rips the envelope open with no caution at all and tosses it onto the floor. After scanning the page for a moment, he mumbles a simple… "What the…"

"Is it from Gina?" Lucy asks.

"No, it's…" Natsu trails off again.

"It's what?!" Gray shouts in irritation.

"GAH! I DON'T KNOW!" Natsu screams, shoving the paper at Gray. "THIS MAKES NO SENSE!"

Natsu clutches his head and Happy peers at the paper from over Gray's shoulder. The note is simple, but strange. It reads: BRING HER TO THE JOB. I CAN HEAL HER. SAVE HER. The handwriting was unmistakable to Happy, and it was confirmed by the signature at the bottom: NATSU DRAGNEEL.

"You sent yourself a letter?" Gray asks in confusion. "This is definitely your awful handwriting, unless someone else practiced it, I guess."

"I DIDN'T WRITE THAT! I'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE! " Natsu shouts, turning to the messenger. "WHO GAVE YOU THIS?!"

"I get the letters from our company," the messenger says with a confused shrug. "They aren't given to me directly. This one had very specific instructions, though, which was kinda weird."

"What instructions?" Lucy asks.

"It said I had to deliver the message on this date, at this exact time - to the minute," he explains.

Natsu looks at the clock on the wall. "Wendy," he mumbles. "Remember that for me."

"Okay," she chirps.

"Man, this is really starting to freak me out," Elfman grumbles.

"Save her…" Lucy whispers. "Do you think it's talking about Gina?"

"It is what we were talking about when he knocked on the door," Mirajane comments.

"Do you think someone has a viewing lacrima in here?" Cana asks, glancing around.

"That doesn't make any sense either," Gray argues, "because they would have had to know what we were doing before we did it to send this thing."

"Unless he's an imposter!" Elfman points at the messenger.

"Whoa!" the messenger shouts in reply. "This is exactly why they say don't kill the messenger! Damnit, I'm outa here!"

"Come back here!" Elfman shouts.

"Let him go," Makarov orders, smoothing his mustache with his fingertips. "There's something much bigger going on here than a messenger. This could be a very powerful magic."

"But what job is it saying to bring her to?" Wendy asks.

"If it was supposed to arrive right now," Levy comments from the sidelines, "and we have to assume that they knew what we were going to be talking about… we have to assume that it's the ghost hunting job. Maybe that's why Gina's in the sketch. Maybe you're going to bring her there."

"Whoa, whoa…" Gray objects. "Are you implying that someone is using TIME magic? It's not possible. Ultear uses that kind of magic, and it takes an incredible amount of magical energy to change the time of even basic objects. And anyway, it doesn't even work on living things! There's just no way. There has to be another explanation."

"Gina doesn't have time to figure it out," Natsu says tiredly. "We've got to find her, and bring her to wherever that town is."

"What if it's a trap?" Gray argues. "What if she's dead in that sketch?! What if it happens because we're stupid enough to bring her there?"

"SHE'S GONNA BE DEAD FOR SURE IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING!" Natsu rages back at him. "DAMNIT GRAY! I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER IDEAS, DO YOU?!"

"No…" Gray responds with a frustrated sigh. "I'm just… we just need to be careful."

* * *

"Spitfire," Gajeel's voice fades in from above Gina. "Hey, open up your eyes for me."

"Huh?" she asks, feeling an odd sway through her body. She realizes after a moment that Gajeel is carrying her. She opens her eyes and is startled to see snow when she looks around. "Where are we?"

"We're up on Mt. Hakobe," Gajeel explains, "but before we go any higher, I need to know if the snow is going to hurt you."

"I don't think so," Gina mumbles, "unless it is magic snow."

"Do you think it's safe to test it?" he asks, looking very unsure.

"Yeah," she says. "Hand me some."

Gajeel sets down on a stone and keeps her carefully on his lap without letting her touch any of the nearby snow. Then he takes a tiny amount and sets it in the palm of her hand. The snow melts quickly, and she barely registers the cold of it. She also realizes after a moment that she isn't in pain, and she can feel steady care and concern coming from Gajeel. She sighs deeply.

"It doesn't hurt," she confirms. "The snow is fine. Where are we going?"

"Somewhere they are unlikely to expect," Gajeel grumbles. "I am hoping that we can find a nice sunny spot up near the peak. I've got enough supplies in my bag to last us quite a while."

"You're not going to get too tired?" she risks asking.

"Don't insult me," he spits. "I could do a hike like this in my sleep."

"Fine," Gina whispers, closing her eyes again as Gajeel starts up the mountain with her still in his arms.

* * *

"Gajeel's scent disappears here," Wendy says, standing beside the train platform. "They could be headed anywhere along the track."

"Damnit!" Gray shouts. "We have no idea how much of a head start they have on us either."

"Natsu," Erza calls to him, "When did you actually see Gina last?"

"Last night," he mumbles from his sleep-like stupor.

"We know that genius," Gray barks. "What time?"

"I don't know," Natsu mumbles in a whine. "What time did I pick up Mira's pot roast from the guildhall?"

"That was around seven I think," Lucy replies.

"Okay, then…" Natsu frowns. "Maybe eight o'clock, or eight-thirty."

"You guys go to bed that early?" Lucy balks.

"She wanted to go to sleep early," Natsu shrugs. "I should have known something was up. It was too easy. We didn't fight. We just… talked. She even ate dinner without picking at it. We were both tired, so it seemed like a good idea. Then she put me to sleep when my guard was down."

"Don't blame yourself Natsu," Wendy says softly. "With how little magic you had left, I really doubt you could have fought off even a weak spell."

"Well," Erza says, pulling out a communication lacrima, "I don't think we're going to find what we need here. Cana..." Erza calls out into the lacrima, "where is the tracking card you placed on Gajeel right now?"

"HOLY SHIT…" Cana's voice crackles through the lacrima. "YOU'RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS, BUT… IT'S SITTING RIGHT ON TOP OF MOUNT HAKOBE."

"Are you serious?!" Gray shouts.

"WHY WOULD I MAKE THAT CRAP UP?" Cana complains.

"Alright," Erza sighs. "Thank you for your help Cana."

"Is he even thinking about the snow there?" Gray complains.

"Gajeel would NOT hurt Gina," Levy says, jumping to his defense. "They may not actually be on the mountain. They could just be passing by it. Even if they are, he would make sure it wouldn't hurt her first."

"I have to agree," Panther Lily adds.

"Just… wake me up when we get there," Natsu mumbles before passing back out.

* * *

"Okay, Spitfire," Gajeel grumbles, as he walks into the mouth of the small cave. "You've got some explaining to do."

"What do you mean?" Gina asks, curling up in front of the large fire he's built at the cave's entrance. She is trying to ignore the fact that the constant pain in her body is beginning to transform into a bitter cold at her core that is so intense she has no words for it.

"I talked to Gray on our way back from the Nymph colony," Gajeel begins, and Gina fights to not let her acceleration in heart rate show as panic in her eyes. "He was able to counteract the elemental poisoning for the nymphs, but it didn't do anything to heal them from the damage that had already been caused. It took the new Dad to do that, and he didn't feel much like explaining."

Gina just stares at Gajeel, refusing to feed him more information or help him frame his question, and struggling to keep her torment private.

"Then I get back, and find out that Salamander has brought you back from the brink of death," he says, sitting down beside her. "We had all been pretty convinced that it was his fire magic that was healing you, but that's not true is it?"

Gina just stares at the flames of the fire.

"So what IS healing you, or sustaining you, or whatever it's doing? Because you seem to be drawing something from me too," Gajeel grumbles.

Gina closes her eyes.

"God damnit woman," he gripes.

Gina squeaks in surprise when she suddenly feels Gajeel pick her up off the ground. She is even more shocked when she feels herself get pulled up against the bare skin of his chest and his bare arms wrap around her like steel bands. She feels the magical draw from him increase at the contact, but it pales in comparison to what she's come to expect from Natsu doing the same thing. Gajeel doesn't love her the same way. He loves her with the concern and compassion of a friend. It seems to be just enough to make the bitterness of the cold pause from plunging any further.

"Uh huh," Gajeel sighs. "I thought so. This puts us in a pickle now doesn't it."

"Put me down, Gajeel," she orders through a weak voice.

"Well, we have a really big problem there, Spitfire," he glares, "because you're not the only one I made a promise to. It seems to me like solving this puzzle is part of the promise I made to your boyfriend."

"Natsu is NOT my boyfriend," Gina growls back, but it comes out more like a whine.

"The love bite on your neck, and recent history, say otherwise," he argues with a smirk. "It doesn't really matter anyway."

"Please put me down," Gina asks as nicely as she can.

"No," Gajeel sighs, leaning back against the rock.

"Gajeel I am begging you not to make me do this," she asks, with her voice cracking beneath the pain.

"You still haven't told me what you're doing," Gajeel shrugs, "and good luck putting me to sleep."

"If I tell you, will you put me down?" Gina tries again, feeling desperate.

Gajeel is quiet for a long time, before finally whispering, "Sure."

"I am draining your magical energy like a leech," Gina chokes.

"That's kinda obvious," Gajeel sighs.

"You don't understand," Gina cries. "It won't stop. Your magical energy is your life force. I'll draw the energy from you until you die."

Gajeel's arms loosen, and Gina pushes herself away from him quickly. She draws her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around them, drying her tears on her pants legs. When she looks up at his face, he looks confused.

"So, you've just been slowly sucking the life out of Salamander since you got back to Magnolia?" Gajeel asks.

"Why do you think I tried to get away from him?!" Gina screeches in anger, feeling the bite of the cold again deep in her chest. She suddenly realizes she can't feel her hands, and fear of her own death suddenly washes over her.

"But if you could draw it from anybody, why just him?" Gajeel asks, narrowing his eyes.

"Because I want to die, Gajeel," she admits, reminding herself as much as it is an admission. "Please just let me…"

"God damnit, woman!" Gajeel screams, punching an iron bar through the wall of the cave. "What the hell is wrong with you? Don't you see what this is doing to Salamander?"

"I didn't know I was this close to death when I came to Fairy Tail, Gajeel, or I wouldn't have come at all," Gina says, bursting into tears and hating it. "I would have just… crawled away somewhere by myself. I wouldn't have to draw energy from anyone. No one has enough to keep me going. I'm burning through it too quickly. If I had stayed away, I could just… go to sleep. I am so tired Gajeel. I just want to go to sleep, and not have to wake back up again. Why is that so wrong?"

"It's wrong because it's suicide!" Gajeel screams. "Geez, lady. Everyone has bad times. That's part of life!"

"But not everyone sucks the life out of the people they care about!" she screams back, realizing she's lost the feeling in her legs.

"Yeah, okay," Gajeel says taking a deep breath, "but we could have made it work."

"No, you couldn't have," Gina argues. "I am just going to keep hurting everyone I care about, Gajeel. You saw Natsu yourself. You saw how weak he was. Look me in the eyes and tell me if you truly think he isn't a much more powerful wizard than most. I was staying away from him as much as he would let me, and I was still killing him. He wasn't just under the weather Gajeel. He was dying. The closer I get to death, the stronger the draw seems to be. I am getting more and more dangerous by the day."

Gajeel roars in frustration, grabs his coat from the floor, and walks out of the cave.

Oh, thank God… Gina chokes on a sob.

"Ming baby, come here," she whispers.

Ming skitters over to her and curls up on her chest as she lies down on the cave floor. His little body trembles against her. She wishes with all of her might that she could be home right now. She almost can't imagine the hot sand anymore, burning against her back as she lies beneath the intensity of the sun. Dying a cold death is such a strange fate for a fire nymph.

"Goodbye old friend," she whispers, as she loses the feeling in her face and her world begins to fade away.

* * *

"Son of a bitch!" Gajeel says, slamming his fist into another boulder and cracking it in half. "Your girlfriend is fucking nuts, Salamander! She doesn't need a doctor! She needs a shrink!"

Suddenly, Ming starts screeching from the cave like someone's cut his tail off.

"Oh shit…" Gajeel mumbles, taking off for the mouth of the cave at a dead run.

* * *

Natsu's head snaps up, bolting upright out of a dead sleep.

"Natsu, what the…" Lucy shouts, startled, but he muffles her voice with his hand and strains to hear.

"Shhhhhhh!" he screeches at her.

Then he hears it again, Gajeel's voice. Screaming. Natsu can't figure out what he's saying though.

"Gajeel's screaming!" he shouts, before bolting out of the side of the moving cart.

He only makes it about 20 feet before careening over to the side of the trail to hurl.

"What is he saying?" Gray says, running by and heading up the mountain without stopping.

"I couldn't tell," Natsu chokes out around the bile from his stomach, punching the tree he just puked on and trying to regain his sense of balance. "But he sounds pissed. Wendy help!"

"Troia!" she says, running up and casting the spell on him.

"Thanks," he sighs, as his balance is reset to normal for the first time since they left Magnolia in a hurry.

Then he catches a hint of Gajeel's voice on the wind again, and Wendy gasps from beside him as she hears it too. The sound chills Natsu's blood. It's not just Gajeel's angry roar this time. There's pain laced in it too. No one but Natsu and Wendy could possibly hear it.

"They're awfully high up," Wendy whispers, looking like she's trying very hard not to cry.

"HAPPY!" Natsu screams in a blend of rage and fear. "I NEED UP THERE RIGHT NOW BUDDY!"


	36. Chapter 36 - Sunlight

Happy flies as fast as his wings will carry him, lifting Natsu straight up the steep slopes of Mt. Hakobe. Carla is right beside him, carrying Wendy along and looking as determined as he's ever seen her.

"I don't hear him anymore!" Wendy shouts over the wind. "Do you?"

"No! Hurry buddy!" Natsu shouts again.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Happy swears.

"They're over to the left!" Wendy shouts when they pass the third major peak.

As Happy glances that direction and changes course, he finally catches sight of Gajeel. The iron dragon slayer is sitting directly beneath a huge shaft of sunlight, as if he's trying to help them find him instead of hiding. He's in his pants and boots, but strangely despite the snow and bitter cold, his overcoat and shirt are off. Gina is lying against his chest without moving. Ming is lying in the snow in front of Gajeel's knees, and it almost looks as if there are tears frozen to Gajeel's face.

Happy sets Natsu down right in front of Gajeel, and Natsu seems frozen for a moment, just staring at them.

"She didn't want you here, Salamander," Gajeel mumbles without even looking at them. His face is pressed to her ashen curls, and his eyes are unfocused.

"Put her down," Natsu replies in a tone colder and more terrifying than the wind around them.

"Natsu…" Wendy whimpers. "We need to let Gajeel explain…"

"PUT HER DOWN!" Natsu screams, throwing off a huge amount of flames.

"I can't do that," Gajeel growls, finally making eye contact. "Not yet."

Happy catches sight of Erza, Gray, Lucy, Levy, and Pantherlily running up behind them.

"Erza," Gajeel grumbles. "I need you to come here. Requip those flame pants things you wear though."

Happy knows the outfit he is referring to is what Erza has come to consider her Clear Heart battle gear. They offer no armor defense at all, allowing her to focus exclusively on offense. It is a simple pair of loose-fitting pants with flame print coming up from the bottom, paired with a chest wrap for the top. Erza requips without hesitation, but approaches Gajeel cautiously. Gajeel very carefully transfers Gina into Erza's arms and moves her to sit in the spot he has been sitting in; leaning Gina against the bare skin of Erza's arms and chest.

"Can you feel that?" Gajeel asks, just before Natsu hits him from behind like a freight train.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Natsu screams in a rage, slamming Gajeel into the stone rock face to their left. "I'LL TURN YOU TO ASH! I'LL KILL YOU!"

"SHE DIDN'T WANT YOU HERE!" Gajeel roars back, slamming an iron bar into Natsu's stomach and hurling them both down the next bluff face. "I MADE HER A PROMISE, AND I'M GONNA KEEP IT!"

"GAJEEL!" Erza shouts from behind them. "YES! I FEEL IT!"

"Feel what?!" Levy asks, running over to Erza, placing her fingers against Gina's neck.

"I don't know," Erza says with a confused look and teary eyes. "I can feel my magic… it's like… like she's absorbing it somehow. She's not dead! She can't be!"

"What?!" Happy shouts flying over also.

Happy's chest hurts, and he's afraid to believe it, but he's terrified of how much Natsu is hurting. He places his paw against Gina's forehead and he feels a strange pull against his magic too. He looks back over and he can see Natsu and Gajeel in some kind of arm lock, both partially transformed into their dragon force second state. Natsu's skin has turned to scales in places, and Gajeel's have turned to iron scales. Their canine teeth are elongated and they're flashing them at each other like a couple of rabid dogs. Gray is trying to run interference between them and get them both to listen to reason, but they are completely ignoring him. They are switching back and forth between some kind of strange deadly wrestling match and throwing blinding punches at one another.

"Have you found a cure?" Gajeel asks with bared teeth.

"No, we haven't," Gray shouts from the sidelines, "but there might be a way to save her!"

"BUT YOU BROUGHT HER OUT HERE TO DIE!" Natsu screams, blasting Gajeel with wings of solid flame. "WHAT THE HELL KIND OF A PROMISE IS THAT? YOU SICK FREAK!"

"I'M STILL TRYING TO KEEP HER ALIVE!" Gajeel roars back, dragging Natsu's hardened face along the rock wall. "BUT I PROMISED HER YOU WOULDN'T WATCH HER DIE!"

"Gajeel!" Happy screams, flying over and tugging at Natsu's shoulders.

"Put me down!" Natsu screams.

"Erza can feel Gina drawing magic, and so can I!" Happy tries again.

"What?" Natsu looks back to Gajeel in confusion, then turns and leaps towards Gina.

"I can't let you do that!" Gajeel shouts, hitting Natsu from behind and knocking him back away from her.

"DON'T YOU DARE KEEP HER FROM ME!" Natsu screams, blasting Gajeel with a roar straight into the side of the bluff again.

Before Gajeel can reorient himself and leap back, Natsu has scrambled over and ripped Gina out of Erza's arms and into his own. Gajeel kneels down in front of them in a defeated posture; seemingly unwilling to let Gina be harmed amid the scuffle.

"Gina, baby," Natsu whispers, touching her face softly as tears begin to stream down his face. "I need you to wake up. Please." His face crumples for a moment and he clenches his still-elongated teeth as he presses his tears into her throat, but he tries again. "Come on, baby, just open your eyes. I know you can do it."

"Gajeel," Levy breathes, placing a careful hand on the scales on his shoulder, "Why is she drawing magic from us?"

" _That_ has to do with her illness," Gajeel grumbles. "I didn't discover it until we were part way here. We only _thought_ that Natsu was the only one who could feed her magic power, but any of us can do it."

"Well, I can't," Gray contradicts.

"It's probably not safe for me either," Wendy says. "Air is still an element."

"She says it will never be enough," Gajeel sighs, "The weaker she gets, the more energy she seems to need."

"But together, we might be able to keep her alive just long enough," Erza says, standing to her feet. "There's no time to lose. Everyone get moving. We'll pass over the mountain to the other side and keep heading north."

"What are you talking about?" Gajeel asks, standing to his feet himself.

"I'll explain," Levy says.

Natsu doesn't even respond. He just lifts Gina into his arms, and heads down the mountain at a dead run - still in dragon force second state.

* * *

Gina begins feeling her face again just before the magic inside her chest shudders violently. She's being bounced around and jarred terribly, and her chest aches as she gasps for breath with lungs that have been still for too long. She struggles to remember where she is and what is happening through a disoriented haze. _I was escaping…_

"Gajeel…?" she mumbles, struggling to open her eyes.

"No such luck, babe," Natsu's voice growls in a tone so angry she can barely recognize it.

"Oh shit…" she groans.

She doesn't even want to open her eyes now. She failed. Gajeel failed. There is just no way to escape him.

"Gina, look at me," Natsu growls again.

Gina ignores him.

"LOOK AT ME!" he screams, without even breaking stride.

His anger startles her so much, that she obeys him. Her breath catches in her throat. She's never seen him look like this before. His eyes are staring straight ahead as he continues running at a blinding speed, but they have morphed into a reptilian appearance. The skin around his eyes appears to have hardened into scales and his canine teeth have lengthened. He looks more lethal than she ever really imagined him.

"YOU HAVE REALLY PISSED ME OFF, GINA!" he keeps shouting. "WHEN THIS IS OVER, YOU'D BETTER SWEAR TO ME YOU'LL NEVER DO ANYTHING THIS STUPID AGAIN!"

 _When this is over…?_ she wonders. "Where are you taking me?" she croaks out.

"There's a village up ahead," Natsu says, much more calmly. "I think there is something there that can save you. It's from a job that just came in after you took off."

Gina feels her heart sink and then realizes that she can feel a draw from his magic that is terrifying in strength. She's not sure if it's the intensity of his emotion, or this new form of magic he's using that's the cause of the increase. Either way, his system was nearly exhausted when she escaped him last and there's no way he can keep this up.

"I'm not allowed to die, but you are?!" she musters up the strength to shout at him.

"What the heck are you talking about?!" he shouts back.

"I'm sucking the life out of you!" she screeches, trying not to sob. "I know you can feel it! If you don't put me down you'll die!"

"Don't get your panties in a twist," he says with a roll of his eyes. "You should have TOLD ME you could draw magic from more than just me."

"She has a point, Natsu!" Gina is surprised to hear Erza's voice call from somewhere beside them. "You should let me carry her for a while. You've already run more than halfway there. If she's awake she must be doing better."

Natsu slows to a stop briefly and hands Gina over to Erza before she even has time to think about their new knowledge. She is surprised to feel a strong draw of love from Erza; barely existent in comparison to Natsu's but just as strong as Gajeel's. Erza begins running as soon as she's steadied her grip, and Gina is also surprised by how physically strong the young woman is - not to mention how little armor she is wearing.

"You've really frightened him," Erza says after a little more distance.

"It is better for him to be afraid, or in pain, than dead," Gina groans.

"Is that why you ran away?" Erza asks.

"I don't understand how he's recovered so fast," Gina admits. "He had no strength left at all when I escaped him at home..."

"Porlyusica gave him a potion to restore his magical energy at an accelerated rate," Erza informs her, "but I think most of the strength that you see is his anger. Natsu's magic has a strange ability to increase exponentially when he's enraged; especially if people that he cares about are being harmed."

 _How odd…_ Gina puzzles over it for a few moments. She's never heard of a phenomenon like that before. In the long run, however, it is still irrelevant.

"Erza, he _can't_ keep this up forever," Gina tries to reason with her.

"All of us will help now," Erza answers. "We'll see what we find in this village, and…"

"If you two would cut the chit-chat, you could run faster!" Natsu barges in again from the sidelines. "Gina you need rest anyway. Let's just get there as quick as we can!"

"Aye!" she hears Happy shout from somewhere above them.

* * *

Natsu runs straight up to a crowd of people in the center of town. This place is so small it barely qualifies as a village. There are small cabins and little huts of varying sizes spread around with only a couple of larger buildings. The sign on one of the larger buildings seems to indicate that it is the bathhouse, while the other appears to be the village's meeting hall. The small crowd of people, about five men and two women, seem shocked at his abrupt entrance.

"I'm here about the job!" he shouts at them. "Who can I talk to about it?"

"Look!" one of the women shouts, pointing right at him. "He has a Fairy Tail guild stamp!"

"Yes, but is he real this time?" the man beside her says.

"What the heck do you mean, am I real?!" Natsu shouts back at them.

Instead of answering him, the man takes the walking stick he's carrying and pokes it directly in the center of Natsu's chest. "Well, he seems real enough."

"Ow! What the heck was that for?!" Natsu barks back at them again. The rest of the Fairy Tail group begins piling in behind Natsu as he continues to shout at the villagers. "We're here about the request you sent for the ghost hunting job! So, just tell us who we have to talk to!"

"We're sorry," a short man says from the sidelines, "but you must understand. There's been a lot of folks with that guild mark around these parts, and not all of 'em are always really here."

"Yeah, we read about the problem you've been having from the paperwork you sent," Gray says with a sigh. "We're sorry about that, but we don't know what's going on either."

"Please describe to us in as much detail as possible," Erza says, shifting Gina's weight in her arms, "exactly what's been happening here since the first member of Fairy Tail appeared to you."

Before the villagers have a chance to respond, a huge shadow is cast over the village. Natsu readies a fireball as he looks towards the sky. He is shocked to see that the aircraft named Christina, used by the Blue Pegasus guild, is hovering in the sky just above the village.

In a manner of seconds, Hibiki Lates is standing in front of them. Hibiki is about the same height as Gray, with dark eyes, crazy-long eyelashes, and dirty-blonde hair. He's a classic pretty boy, and usually overdressed like he is today; wearing a fancy vest with embroidered wings on the front, blue slacks, and a pink dress shirt. He addresses Natsu immediately.

"Natsu, I came as quickly as I could," Hibiki says. "I followed your directions exactly. I have Christina and brought only myself. Now, will you please explain what on Earthland is going on, and why you need my help?"

Everyone turns to look at Natsu in surprise, but he feels even more surprised than anyone else.

"What are you talking about?!" Natsu shouts at him. "I didn't ask for your help!"

"Maybe he got a note like you did," Levy says from the back of the group. "You said the note was signed Natsu Dragneel wasn't it?"

"Yes," Hibiki says, looking very confused. "A messenger delivered a letter from Natsu saying that he needed my help here as quickly as possible. Are you saying that wasn't sent by you?"

"No! It wasn't!" Natsu says, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

Levy suddenly runs to the front of the group and points her finger at Natsu, addressing the villagers. "Have you seen him anywhere in the village before now?"

The group seems to scrutinize his face for quite a while. "Now that you mention it…" One of the men begins mumbling, "I don't think I've seen his face before but his voice is definitely familiar."

"His voice?" Lucy echoes in confusion.

Suddenly, the ground around them begins to tremble like a small earthquake. Gajeel catches Levy up against his chest, and Erza widens her stance to prevent dropping Gina. After a few moments, the rumbling stops and a huge cloud of dust seems to burst into the air from just to the right of the village.

"Oh no!" a young woman shouts. "There must've been a new cave-in at the mine!"

The villagers all begin running that direction, and the Fairy Tail crew follow in their footsteps. Natsu quickly gets impatient with their pace, however, and runs ahead; aiming for the plume of dust. The entrance to the mine is not very far from the village itself. He reaches it quickly and can see a dozen or more men scurrying to exit the mine as quickly as possible.

"This is all Fairy Tail's fault!" an elderly man shouts as he toddles up behind the group.

"Our fault?" Gray says an offended tone. "How the heck does a cave-in have anything to do with us?"

"We've been having major and minor tremors throughout the area pretty constantly since the ghosts from your guild first showed up about a month ago," a young gangly man begins to explain as he crawls his way out of the entrance and begins dusting himself off. "They've created a huge amount of instability inside the mine. We've had a couple of small cave-ins, but nothing serious yet. The mines are the first place that the ghosts started appearing. Scared the hell out of the work crew. Then they started appearing in the village. Sometimes the middle of the street. Other times in the middle of people's homes. Sometimes, they seem as real as you or me. They sound confused, like they don't know where they are, but we can touch them and they can talk to us. Other times, you can see right through them, and they're carrying on like they're not even aware of who you are or where _they_ are. A couple of them have even been having battles right in the middle of town."

"This sounds nuts," Gajeel grumbles. "Have you heard of anything like this before, Short Stuff?"

"No," Levy sighs. "It seems like it _could_ be time magic, but it's hard to say."

"What we need to do is find _me_ , and fast!" Natsu shouts. "Erza, give Gina to me."

Gina looks like she can barely keep her eyes open as Natsu pulls her into his arms. He feels an immediate, and incredibly strong, draw from his magic. Now that he's shifted out of his second state of dragon slayer magic, he feels a little weaker and more tired, but he's not going to back down when they're this close.

"Well, who's the lovely lady?" Hibiki says, cutting into Natsu's awareness again.

"Hibiki, this is Gina," Erza says. "She's family to Master Makarov, and she's been running with our group for a few months now. She's very ill right now, and we're hoping that there's a cure for her somewhere in this village."

"That's ridiculous," Gina mumbles, barely above a whisper. "There is no cure for…"

"Shut up, Gina," Natsu says for what he feels like must be the millionth time. "You just rest until we prove you wrong."

"Perhaps we should find a place for Gina to rest, while we start checking things out," Erza says.

"No way," Natsu says shaking his head. "She's too weak. We need to find me, or find the cure, or both. I'm not letting her leave my side until we find it."

"Well, I don't really understand what's going on," Hibiki says, rubbing the back of his neck, "but it sounds like all of this trouble originally started in the mines, and I'm not one to leave a damsel in distress. It seems like it would be a good idea to start there."

"Hibiki's right," Levy says. "I think we should divide up into teams. Are there any maps of the inside of the mine?"

"No maps," the elderly man scoffs. "This mine is the lifeblood of the town. All of us know it like the back of our hands, or we don't go in at all. We've done some surveys from time to time, and we do have records, but nothing that you can take with you for reference."

"Then we'll need guides who know the mine well," Erza says.

"I have a better idea," Hibiki says. "If I could be allowed to view the records you do have, regardless of where they are, I can upload them to the archive. Then I can provide a direct mental upload of the map to all the members of the team."

Hibiki uses Archive magic which allows him to upload and download data directly to the minds of the members of his party. It also allows him to look through the historical records of various towns and villages that are connected to the Archive, or that other individuals who use Archive magic have uploaded before on previous missions. While he doesn't specialize in any form of powerful combat magic, his support in the field can be invaluable in the right circumstances.

"I will take you straight there," the old man says.

In the meantime, Natsu decides to get Gina into a better position for carrying. With some quick help from Happy, he moves her around into a piggyback position. Instead of wearing his overcoat, he keeps her against the bare skin of his back, and uses the overcoat like a tie down around her waist and his. Then he uses his scarf to hook under her arms and tie around in front of his chest. She keeps mumbling nonsense about him being ridiculous the entire time, but he just decides to ignore her for now.

Erza is barking out orders the whole time they're waiting, dividing the group up into teams. Erza intends to go with him and Happy. Gajeel is partnered with Levy and Panther Lily. Wendy and Carla are partnered with Lucy and Gray. They all expect Hibiki to provide support from outside of the mine, but after a moment, they hear his voice ring through their minds like some kind of internal loudspeaker. Natsu nearly jumps out of his skin. Hibiki's done this to him before, but it's been quite a while since he experienced it. It still freaks him out a little.

"The instructions that seemed to be coming from Natsu before indicated that I need to stay with the group wherever you go," Hibiki explains. "It makes me a little nervous to think that it didn't actually come from Natsu, but so far the rest of the information I was provided has been accurate. I'm not sure whether it's a good idea to deviate from the instructions I was given."

"Did they tell you to stay with anyone specific?" Erza asks.

"Actually, yes," Hibiki says. "It told me to stick with him like glue. With Natsu himself."

"But what if it's talking about the _other_ me?" Natsu says.

"We still don't know that there actually _is_ another you," Gray complains. "This could still just be some jackass pulling our strings. We need to be careful, but at least you can handle yourself with whatever happens to pop up and surprise us."

"I agree," Erza says, requipping a giant set of neon paint markers into existence, and beginning to pass them out. "I will be in Natsu's team as well. Together, we should be able to handle whatever situations occur. For now, team B will be Gajeel's Team. Team C will be Wendy's. Head into the mine, and when you divert down a unique path from each other, leave writing on the wall that indicates which direction you've gone in, so we can cover as many mineshafts as possible. If you encounter a ghost, enemy, or anyone else while searching, inform Hibiki immediately so that he can get the information to the rest of us. Natsu and I will wait for Hibiki, and enter the mine when he's come back."

* * *

Teams B and C stare at the fork in the mineshaft. There are small signs on the wall that seem to name the path in each direction, but the names have no meaning to anyone in the groups. Hibiki hasn't uploaded a map yet.

"Well," Gray sighs, "I guess we just split here, and then see how things go."

"We'll take the left," Gajeel grumbles. "Lev', you got that marker? Go ahead and put our scribbles on the wall for Erza. You guys take the right. I'm not sure what exactly we plan to find in here, but there may be a point later on in the path where we can meet up and regroup."

"Here's hopin'," Gray says, turning with Lucy, Wendy, and Carla to head down the dark mineshaft.

"Light," Levy says, as the word light appears in the center of her hand and illuminates the mineshaft all around them.

There does appear to be a crude lacrima lighting system strung throughout the mineshaft, but it doesn't afford a huge amount of light to work with. Overall, the shaft is dark and creepy. Gajeel finds himself trying to pick up on sounds, but the echoing inside of the shaft system just manages to give him a headache. They've walked at least 100 yards down the mineshaft before the earth around them trembles again slightly.

Gajeel snatches Levy by the back of the sundress and pulls her tight against his chest. He braces his other hand against the wall and readies himself to put a shell over them if the ceiling starts to give in. Spurts of dust dance around them, raining down from the ceiling, but the small quake doesn't shake anything loose of any significance. However, a glimmer directly in the center the shaft up ahead of them catches Gajeel's eye.

"Do you guys see that?" he asks, straining to get a better grasp of what he's looking at.

"I only see dust in the air," Panther Lily replies.

"I don't know how you guys can even see _that_ with how dark it is," Levy sighs.

Gajeel leans down cautiously and picks up a small stone before chucking it towards the strange shimmering he still can't define. The stone passes right through it without seeming to have any effect.

"What are you doing?" Panther Lily asks.

"I don't know what I'm lookin' at," Gajeel mumbles, "There's something weird about the air up ahead. It's like…"

Before he can finish his sentence, a figure emerges from the darkness.

"Erza?" Levy says, addressing the figure. "What are you doing here? I thought…"

Gajeel slaps his hand over her mouth quickly. He leans down to whisper in her ear, "That's not Erza, Short Stuff."

As the figure gets closer, it's very clear why she could be mistaken for Erza. She's not as tall, but she has a similar build. She's also wearing armor that is strikingly similar to Erza's Flame Empress armor. Instead of having a swimsuit-styled body like the empress armor, however, this one has a skirt-like bottom with knee-high leggings and wings that are much more scaled and dragon-like. In fact, this woman looks exactly like one of the sketches that were provided by the villagers. The closer she gets, the more clear it becomes that she looks more like a ghost than a real person.

"Don't get any closer!" Gajeel yells to the woman.

The woman doesn't respond as if she's even heard him. She just keeps walking straight towards them. She's walking slowly, and as if she's on guard. It's unclear of whether she's just being overly cautious, or whether she's actively looking for something. She doesn't act as if she sees them any more than she could hear them when Gajeel shouted. Panther Lily takes a bold move forward and tries to touch the woman's arm. His hand passes straight through her body. Levy begins to tremble beneath Gajeel's hands.

Gajeel pulls himself and Levy back against the mineshaft wall, not wanting the woman to pass through their bodies the way that she did to Panther Lily. She continues on her way, and then disappears again a short distance down the mineshaft, as if she was never there in the first place.

"Okay... ghosts," Levy says after Gajeel drops his hand from her mouth. "Got it."

"Unfortunately, that didn't give us any additional information," Panther Lily notes.

"Hey everybody," Hibiki's voice suddenly breaks into their group consciousness, startling all three of them. "Sorry for the delay, but we finally got that map for you. I'm uploading it now."

The map reveals that the mine is much larger than any of them originally assumed. There are dozens and dozens of mineshafts, twisting and turning and interconnecting at random points along their routes. It's obvious that the miners have created the shafts in response to various finds throughout the years; instead of planning any straightforward design from the beginning.

"This is going to be impossible," Panther Lily mumbles.

"Not impossible," Hibiki's voice comes back in. "I'm having Archive label your current progress on the map right now. Team B will be the blue line. Team C will be the green line, and Team A will be the red line once we head into the mine as well. That way, even if we have to double back quite a bit, we should be able to know where we haven't been within the mine."

In a moment, the colored lines begin to appear, and Gajeel feels a pang of relief to at least have a frame of reference for where they are, and where they've been.

"You should let the rest of the team know," Gajeel says to Hibiki, hoping the strange telepathy really works that way, "that we've run into one of the ghosts. It was the chick that looks like Erza, but isn't Erza. She couldn't see us and she couldn't hear us. We can see her, but we couldn't touch her. She passed right through Panther Lily's body as if he wasn't even there."

"Yikes," Hibiki says. "I'll relay the message. This sounds like it's going to be tricky."

* * *

Gray feels thankful that Hibiki was finally able to upload the map. The route they chose to take seems to be twisting and turning all over the place, and he was glad to get confirmation on Wendy's theory that they crossed their own path more than once. However, he's not sure what the hell to make of this...

"You think I can't hear you punk?! Show yourself!" a voice shouts at them from out of nowhere. It's not the first time it's shouted at them either.

"What do you mean, show yourself?" Gray shouts back. "We can't see you either, Dumbass!"

"You better watch your mouth!" The man shouts back again. "You obviously have no idea who the hell you're talkin' to."

Suddenly, a very large man steps straight out of the wall of the mineshaft and into the walkway. However, his face quickly morphs from irritation into sheer and utter confusion. He glances around wildly, as if his eyes are having a hard time adjusting to the light. Gray immediately positions himself between the women of his team and the new mystery man. There's something eerily familiar about this guy, although Gray would swear he's never seen him before.

The man has short cropped, thick, navy blue hair that hangs long on one side of his face. He looks incredibly strong, with a build somewhere between Gajeel and Elfman. Gray would guess that he's somewhere around Laxus's age, around early 20's maybe. He has bright crimson eyes, and a healthy amount of piercings in his ears and through the center of his nose. The man also has a small solid black Fairy Tail guild stamp just behind his left ear at the top of his neck.

"So who the hell _are_ we talking to?" Gray asks with a threat clear in his tone.

"The names Moorwen. Moorwen Redfox," the man spits. "Now who the hell…"

"Wait a minute... Redfox?" Lucy says. "Are you are you saying you're related to Gajeel?"

""No way…" The man seems to mumble almost to himself, squinting at the whole group of them. "Gray... Fullbuster?"

"Damn right," Gray says, forming a ball of spiked ice in his hand.

Moorwen shakes his head as if to clear it. "This has gotta be a trick," he says. "Of course I'm related to Pops. I'm his youngest son and you full well know that. Now why the hell do you look so young? What the hell is goin' on?!"

"Young?" Gray asks.

"It would seem…" Carla suddenly says, padding up between the two men, "that our earlier theory about time magic might be correct. Unless Gajeel has full-grown adult sons that I am unaware of."

"Time magic…" Moorwen suddenly mumbles. "Holy shit! This is what Old Man Fullbuster was talking about!"

"Old man?!" Gray objects.

"Yeah," Moorwen says, grabbing his own head in apparent excitement. "You told me about this a couple'a years ago! I thought you were nuts. You said you finally decided to tell me when I pierced my nose. I was going to get sucked back in time or some shit, but that it wouldn't last very long. Geez man, you're a baby-faced kid!"

Lucy starts to laugh, and Gray can feel his annoyance climbing.

"Did he tell you to give us any specific instructions?" Carla asks.

"Yeah, you did!" Moorwen says with a nod of his head, losing some of the intensity in his smile. "You told me not to tell you _anything_ about the future. Except, you said I could tell you about what was going on right now."

"So, tell us. What the hell is going on?" Gray asks.

"You said we would be standing in a giant time distortion," Moorwen explains, crossing his arms over his chest and glancing around. "You gotta be really careful. The whole place is unstable. You're going to run into a bunch of people like me," he says pointing to his chest. "The whole thing is being caused by a giant freakin' time magic device. The people and the stuff that you'll see are all elements of the timeline from a single person."

"Who?" Lucy asks.

"I'm not supposed to say," he says, shaking his head. "You'll find out soon enough."

"Why the hell can't we know who's timeline we're dealing with?" Gray asks.

"Trust me," Moorwen says. "The last time I saw you, you are an old man being a pain in my ass. Like usual. You said, though, that too much information at the wrong time could bring about something pretty close to the apocalypse. If we screw up this particular timeline, it'll affect hundreds of thousands of people. You said the important part, didn't have as much to do with who you are meeting, as when you are meeting them from. You said that the timeline that I'm from has already been altered... whatever the hell that means... and that if things don't play out the way they're supposed to, I won't even exist. Existin' is kinda important to me."

"Well that's certainly understandable," Carla says with a sigh.

"All right, fine," Gray says. "Where the heck should we head from here?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" Moorwen says with a shrug of his shoulders. "You said I wouldn't be with you guys very long."

"Are you getting this Hibiki?" Gray suddenly asks into the air.

"Yes, and it's fascinating," Hibiki replies through the Archive link to all of them. "I'm trying to use Archive to see if I have any information of something similar happening in the past. So far, I haven't come up with anything."

"Well…" Gray says with a sigh. "I guess we just keep moving."


	37. Chapter 37 - Destiny

Hibiki quickly explains to the other teams what Gray's team has discovered. Most of them are as astounded as he is, but Natsu looks absolutely ecstatic.

"Hell yeah!" Natsu shouts. "If there's any chance that there's a _me_ from the future, maybe he's figured out how to save Gina!"

"There are reasons that time magic is forbidden, Natsu," Erza says in a very serious tone. "It's extraordinarily dangerous. It also usually requires an incredible amount of magic power to accomplish. This event may not even be intentional. If there is a spell, or device, that has caused a timeline to become disrupted or out of control, we could all be in very real danger. However... it does seem that some other version of you may be attempting to use the disruption to your advantage. If that is the case, we should attempt to find you as soon as possible."

"Well then, let's go already!" Natsu shouts, adjusting Gina on his back before heading out of the small building where they were gathering more information.

"Aye!" Happy shouts.

"Let's head straight for the mine," Erza agrees as a strange little ferret runs up her shoulder to cling around the neckline of her armor.

"Do you mind if I ask what's wrong with your friend?" Hibiki asks, bringing up the rear.

"She seems to be burning through her magical energy at an accelerated rate," Erza replies. "However, it also seems that we can provide a supplemental level of energy to her through our own bodies. Her condition is very serious."

"I'm right here, you know," Gina mumbles weakly.

"You just hold on, baby," Natsu sighs. "We'll find me soon."

Hibiki turns his face towards Erza with a raised eyebrow. _Baby?_ he thinks. He's never heard Natsu utter a pet name in all the time that he's known him. In fact, he's never noticed Natsu paying much attention to any of the shockingly beautiful women he is constantly surrounded by. Erza simply gives him a slightly pained smile in return and presses a finger against her lips. The strange little ferret on her shoulder chitters toward Natsu and Gina, then hides his face against Erza's neck.

 _Ahhh… this must be very painful for all of them._

As they reach the beginning of the mine, they initially follow the path of Gajeel's team, and then take a left again at the next fork where that team chose to take a right. Using the description of everyone's experiences thus far, this particular shaft appears incredibly unstable. The walls and air around them seem to shimmer and dance all over the place.

"We may have to deem this path too risky," Erza mumbles, rounding the next corner carefully.

"We've gotta check 'em all," Natsu argues. "I could be anywhere."

"But it's not going to do us any good if…"

Erza is cut off by an ear-splitting, high-pitched scream from the mineshaft in front of them. It sounds like the kind of scream a child would make. The whole team freezes in response.

"Come back here you little brat!" A deep male voice booms.

"You idiot!" A woman's voice follows. "Don't let her get away!"

Natsu, Erza, and Happy all bolt towards the sound of the scuffle instantly; with Hibiki rushing to catch up. The sound of a bullwhip cracks and the childlike voice screams again.

"What the hell is going on?!" Natsu roars as he bursts into the open cavern at the end of the mineshaft.

The cavern seems to be a large storage room of some kind according to the map, but Hibiki can't imagine being stuck in this small of a space with Natsu Dragneel engaged in battle; much less Erza. Surprisingly, the room looks completely empty. As they squint through the darkness, there are two additional pathways leading out. They can hear the sound of running footsteps from multiple people, but it's impossible to tell which direction the sounds are coming from. Nothing is visible coming towards them from any direction. Another shrill scream is heard just as a small child drops from a shimmer in the ceiling directly above Natsu and Gina; knocking them to the ground.

"Ouch…" Natsu mumbles trying to push himself up from his position, face-first in the dirt.

The young girl, who appears to be five or six years old, landed on the back of Natsu's neck and in front of Gina's surprised face. She rolls off awkwardly, sliding around Gina and into the dirt, and begins crying immediately. She has wildly curly, salmon-colored hair, dark black eyes, and pale skin. She's dressed in a small blue and gold sundress with black leggings. She's clutching her right arm to her chest and there seems to be blood seeping through her fingers. Gina reaches for the child weakly and the ferret leaps down and scurries to sniff beneath the edge of the little girl's shirt, nuzzling her stomach.

 _The little guy must be trying to calm her._

"Erza, the kid is wounded," Hibiki says moving towards the little girl quickly.

He begins to inspect the child as Natsu manages to get up on his knees. There is a deep laceration across the top of the child's arm. Hibiki tears the bottom edge off of his shirt as he hears Natsu mumble, "Gina? Are you alright?"

Gina doesn't have time to answer him before two more screams burst into the large room, as a man and a woman also fall from the ceiling into a heap a dozen feet in front of them. They both groan in unison and start trying to untangle themselves to stand. Erza immediately places herself, with her sword drawn, between the two newcomers and the rest of the group.

"Identify yourselves!" Erza shouts at them.

The man's head snaps up and his eyes fix on the child.

"Grab her Jerusha!" he shouts instead and the woman jumps to her feet, beginning to lunge immediately.

"Hibiki!" Natsu shouts, springing to his feet. "You've got to take her!"

Natsu quickly unties Gina from his back and tosses her directly at Hibiki. Erza swings her sword; forcing the enemy woman to dodge backward before trying to lunge again. With his hands now free, Natsu rushes to Erza's side. Hibiki struggles to catch and hold Gina more securely in his arms. The young girl at Hibiki's side: gasps; lunges forward; and, for some odd reason, attaches herself to Natsu's leg just below the knee. The ferret stands up in front of the girl and bares its teeth. Natsu throws his arms up in surprise and glances down at them.

"What the…?" he shrieks.

With the strange woman in motion towards them again, Erza brings her sword back down; going on the offensive.

The woman dodges and shouts, "It's him!"

"Kill them both!" the man shouts, beginning his own assault now that he's gained his feet.

"Happy GET THIS KID OFF ME!" Natsu shouts.

"Aye, Sir!" Happy shouts, grabbing the young girl by the shoulders, and lifting her into the air just as Natsu jumps back out of the way of the man's bullwhip.

"NO!" the little girl screams.

"That's IT!" Natsu screams, "Fire Dragon Wing Attack!"

The little ferret dives behind Erza, and Natsu's spell slams into both of the hostile strangers, propelling them backward. Instead of hitting the wall, however, their bodies seem to be pushed straight through it, and they disappear from view.

"Where have they gone?" Erza shouts, maintaining her defensive stance.

"They just disappeared!" Happy shouts from the air.

Hibiki sighs in relief and adjusts his grip on Gina once again. He's backed up against the cave wall during the scuffle and sags against it just as Natsu turns towards them. Hibiki's startled by his own scream, as he continues falling through the stone, and everyone else disappears from view.

With a soft thud, Hibiki feels his back hit the ground, and Gina's weight lands on his chest. Dread wells in his stomach as he blinks against the pitch black darkness; now surrounding them in eerie silence.

* * *

"Gina!" Natsu screams, lunging towards the stone wall where he just watched her and Hibiki disappear before his eyes.

Instead of catching her in his grasp, his hand strikes against the stone at full force and crumples, shattering some of the stone. "NO! God dammit! Hibiki come back here!" _She can't be gone!_

He begins striking his fists into the stone, again and again, trying to dig his way through to them.

"Natsu!" Happy shouts. "I don't think that's gonna work!"

The little girl begins to cry.

Erza's hand comes down hard on Natsu shoulder, and she says, "If they've fallen through a rift, they are not even likely to be on the other side."

"THEN WHAT THE HELL ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO, HUH?!" Natsu roars in a full rage, turning towards her with blazing fists. "HIBIKI DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HE'S DOING! WE HAVE TO GET GINA BACK!" _She'll die!_

His rage sputters into confusion as he realizes the little girl has re-attached herself to his leg and is now sobbing. He glances down at her curly hair and blood-stained dress. Her face is pressed against his thigh. Ming is rubbing his little body in circles against her stomach, and trying to nuzzle her face.

"What the heck, kid?!" he complains in a somewhat calmer tone. "What do you want? You could have really gotten hurt with that stunt back there!"

If Happy hadn't gotten ahold of her, he would have been unable to repel the attack without catching her in the crossfire.

"I WANT MY DADDY!" the little girl screams, as Natsu covers his ears in shock at the volume.

"How the heck am I supposed to help with that!?" Natsu says, plucking her up and holding her in one arm. She immediately presses her tear-soaked face into his scarf and clings to his neck with all her might, continuing to cry.

"Natsu…" Erza says gently, with a soft smile. "She is as lost and alone as Gina right now."

Natsu feels the words kick him in the gut, and he glances again at the unruly curls against his shoulder. _Those people were after her… and they meant to kill. Who the hell would kill a little kid?! Those assholes!_

"Hey, what is your name, kid?" Happy asks from above them.

"De-shn-nby," the girl mumbles against his scarf with a sniff.

"What?" Natsu asks.

The little girl sits up, looks him in the eye, and screams, "DESTINY!"

"Ouch!" Natsu complains. "Stop screaming at me! I've got sensitive ears."

The girl looks a little sheepish, then rubs her nose on her non-injured arm and mumbles, "I know dat."

Erza holds out a hand of welcome to Ming, who skitters back up onto her shoulder. Then she requips a large bandage from storage and binds it around the little girl's arm to slow the bleeding. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Destiny. This should help."

"What's dat for?" Destiny sniffs.

"To keep it from bleeding, duh," Natsu huffs.

Destiny glares at him and shoves her bloodied arm in his face. "You're s-posed to kiss it better!"

Natsu rolls his eyes and decides to humor her. He kisses the top of the bandage and asks, "There, is that better?"

The girl stares at her arm with a shocked and hurt expression. "You di'nit do it right!"

"I tried!" he complains. "Here, Erza you try."

" _She_ can't do it!" Destiny wails. "I WANT MY DADDY!"

"Hey, hey…" Natsu pleads. "Stop cryin'. Where were you when you got separated from your dad?"

"In a big, smelly cave," the girl mumbles with a sniff.

Erza points to a small black Fairy Tail guild stamp on the inside of the girl's left wrist. "Who is your Daddy?" Erza asks gently.

"Da mostest…" the girl sniffs. "Mostest strong wizard in Fairy Tail."

 _Oh yeah… that narrows it down,_ Natsu thinks with a sigh.

"What's his name?" Happy asks.

The little girl looks Natsu in the eyes for a long moment, then uses her little hand to pull his scarf back and look at his neck. He has no idea what she's looking for, but her face crumples and she begins to cry again. When he looks back to Erza and Happy, both of them have weird looks on their faces.

"What?" Natsu asks.

"Do they look _really_ similar to you?" Happy mumbles to Erza.

"I was just… noticing that," Erza says with her eyebrows pinched together. "We have no idea how far these time rifts may go in either direction from the present. She could be a descendant."

"What the heck are you guys talking about?" Natsu asks.

"Natsu…" Happy whines, "I've never seen another person with your hair color before…"

"Her eyes are also the same color as yours," Erza says.

Natsu feels his entire being freeze. He looks down at the sobbing small child again. _They're right…_ he thinks in awe, _but her skin is a lot paler than mine. Gray ran into one of Gajeel's kids already. Man, that would have been weird for Gajeel!_

 _ **It's him!**_ he remembers the man they battled shouting just before declaring to… _**Kill them both!**_

Natsu can barely keep his voice from trembling as he asks the little girl again, "Destiny… what is your Daddy's name?"

The girl's little body scrunches up in a ball on his arm, and she practically strangles him as she screams, "NATSU DRAGNEEL!"

* * *

"Hey, what the hell happened to our map?!" Gajeel calls into the darkness.

Hibiki doesn't respond.

"Do you think something happened to Natsu's team?" Levy asks.

"It's hard to say," Panther Lily muses aloud. "This is going to be much more difficult without a map to work from."

"We'd better write down anything we can remember, before we forget it," Gajeel mumbles.

"Hand me the marker," Levy barks.

* * *

"Hibiki?" Lucy calls into the air around them. "Natsu? Erza?"

"Hey guys," Gray adds. "What's goin' on out there?"

"You won't hear from them for a while," Moorwen mumbles from his lazy posture leaning against the wall. "Hibiki's not in your time anymore."

"He WHAT?!" the group cries in unison.

* * *

Hibiki groans and rolls over, attempting to shift Gina carefully to the ground beside him. He can't see a thing.

"Gina, are you alright?" he whispers.

Gina doesn't respond.

"Archive," he mumbles, and the magical screens illuminate the room as they appear around him.

Gina is lying there with her eyes closed, and she is completely still. He can't even tell if she's breathing. He glances around them, but they seem to have fallen into a huge cavern. It stretches farther than his archive light can penetrate in all directions. He can't even make out the ceiling.

"Gina?" he tries again, turning back to her. He begins rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt, exposing the patterned insides. He lifts her into his arms again, and struggles to his feet. "Anyone?" he calls out, as he begins walking through the massive room. "Is anyone there? Please, we need help!"

Erza mentioned that they were supplementing her energy somehow, but Hibiki doesn't sense anything obvious. _Damnit, Erza! You should have told me how to…_

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Hibiki freezes. He can feel an incredibly powerful magic moving towards them. He's never felt anything like it before. It's as if the ground itself shivers with each oncoming step and his body begins to tremble before the force of it.

"Who goes there?" he calls out, starting to back up.

Thud, thud, thud, thud. The tempo increases as the power begins speeding towards them.

"Hello?" Hibiki calls again, trying to decrease the obvious fear in his voice.

In a matter of moments, a man appears at the end of where the light reaches. The man lifts his hands and flames burst forth from all edges of the room, throwing the scene into harsh firelight. He is a relatively young man, in black pants that are long on the right side, and cut like shorts on the left. He's wearing a red, hooded cloak that shields his face from view at this distance, but his torso is bare. There is an incredibly intricate, black tattoo running the full length of the left side of his body; all the way down to his calf. There is also a red Fairy Tail guild stamp on his right arm, exactly like Natsu's.

Gina stirs after a moment, and suddenly gasps with a severe shudder.

"Put her down, and back up," the man orders, and Hibiki is shocked for a moment to realize that it's Natsu's voice too.

"Natsu?" he asks. "Are you the one who sent me the note?"

"Yeah," Natsu calls, moving towards them again. "Now hurry up."

But the power radiating from this new Natsu is terrifying. _How did he obtain it? What has he done?_ Hibiki begins to back up again instead, clutching Gina tighter. "I'm sorry, Natsu, but I…"

"I don't have TIME FOR THIS!" Natsu screams, sprinting at them.

With a flick of his wrist, Natsu sends a tiny fireball hurling at them. It hits Hibiki high on his right collarbone and scorches. He drops Gina and tries to lunge for her, but flames burst forth from in front of him. He stumbles back and hits the ground hard.

"Gina!" Hibiki screams, reaching for her as her entire body is encircled by a wall of fire. He scrambles away from the intense heat, seeing Natsu dart through the flames into the opposite side of the fire wall. "GINA!"


	38. Chapter 38 - Glimpse

Gina doesn't want to respond to Hibiki's strange, far-away voice. She's been yanked back from death's door so many times now, she just wants to sob. But… she squeezes her eyes shut against the strange sensation of an intense love pouring itself over her tissues. The sensation is so palpable, it's like being drowned in electricity and honey. A hand is suddenly on her shoulder and the intensity at the contact doubles, making her eyes fly open with a gasp of shock.

"Shhh…, baby it's me," Natsu's voice hums to her, as his other hand rests against her face. The feeling is terrifying and she starts to pull away from it. "Hey, hey. Calm down, Gina. I know it's a little scary."

 _A LITTLE?!_ She's only ever heard of a sensation like this being described by ancient Nymph pairs, and even that comparison fell short of this. "I don't understand…" she sobs.

"Look at me, baby," Natsu says again gently, "Nah, come on. Focus on my face."

Gina brings his face into focus, and screams.

"Whoa, whoa," he says, gripping her arms firmly to prevent her from fleeing.

"You…" Gina can't hold back a sob. "Who…? I don't…"

This isn't her Natsu. It can't be! She shuts her eyes against the image and shakes her head feverishly in denial. This Natsu is a Nymph Sire. _Am I dreaming again?_

"Yes, you do," Natsu argues with steel in his tone. "You know _exactly_ who I am, and what I am, Gina, and I'm gonna be honest. I am trying _really_ damn hard, not to just scream at you right now for being this stupid!"

"It's not stupid!" Gina sobs.

"Look at my mark, baby," he growls, but Gina shuts her eyes and shakes her head with gritted teeth. "Look at it!"

With a sob, Gina opens her eyes and glances from his face down his body as he leans back for her to see. His Sire mark runs from his left cheek to his left calf; one of the larger marks she's ever seen on a Sire. Gina can feel her body getting stronger in his grip and she's beginning to feel more awake and focused. She can't stop herself from touching the mark and confirming that it's real. One little fire lily after another, with occasional visible thorns that indicate a loss, run up the length of his arm. She traces the mark all the way to his face before her fingertips encounter angry tears from his eyes.

"I _know_ why you're doing this, baby," he growls again, squeezing his eyes tightly shut for a brief moment. "But you're not saving me. You're _killing_ everything I've ever loved!"

"You said you didn't want to be a Sire," she objects with a wail.

"That's because I wanted YOU!" he shouts back in frustration. "I know I said it would be a lot of pressure. It is. Losing you is worse! And I wouldn't change my choice for anything!"

"I'm sorry," Gina tries to choke out through a wave of hysterical sobs. "I… I can't fix this. I can't… Natsu you'll die!"

"He will," Natsu says, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand before giving her a cocky grin. "But I won't. You were right that you waited too long. I didn't have what I needed to give you all those years ago, but I have loved you for centuries now."

"How are you here?" she asks, searching eyes that show an age hidden by his skin. "When… do you come from?"

"I'm a little more than 400 years in your future," he says, making Gina's heart stutter. "In my time, you didn't die like this. I have spent that time, loving my life, and waiting to come back and _stop_ you from doing this."

He gives her a little shake in his grip.

"But you can't," Gina cries. "Even if you are my Sire in the future... I am not your Queen!"

"You can be, if you choose to be," he says, holding up a hand before she can even begin to ask questions, "and I don't mean making love."

"A Queen's mark doesn't form unless..." she starts.

"I _know_ what you've been taught," he cuts her off, rolling his eyes, "but in my time it's already happened. You had your Queen's mark long before I had my Sire mark, and I didn't knock you up for it."

"Long before?" Gina asks, even more confused.

"I wish I could tell you more, baby," Natsu says with a sigh, "but this time manipulation crap is crazy complicated, and if I tell you too much I'll mess the whole thing up. I will tell you that a lot is still going to happen that's real hard… but I chose this. That's what you wanted, right? You can choose for yourself. Right here. Right now. And I'll still have the chance to choose what I want in your future. I have _wanted you_ from the moment I met you, baby, and that's not gonna change. I _need you_ to _trust_ me."

"You're asking me to give up everything I believe about _my own race_ ," Gina says with disbelief. "How do I know this isn't some trick? That I am really your Queen in the future?"

"Ask me anything," he challenges, sitting back on his haunches and folding his arms over his chest. "Well… anything that won't give away future crap."

Gina tries to bring her sniffles under control while still feeling the weight of his love pouring over her. That should probably be enough, but perhaps he has loved her long beyond death. She blinks against the pain in that possibility and then narrows her eyes at him. _Something that would prove he's my Sire? …_ "What is my father's name?" she asks.

"Axis Asterope," he says, rolling his eyes, "but ANY fire Sire would know that. Try again."

"How long have I been without a relationship?"

"Not since Laxus," Natsu says, grinding his teeth, "Don't remind me. But that still doesn't prove anything. I would have found that out from him and Gramps either way."

"They really would have told you…" Gina whispers, feeling her face crumple.

"They're my family, babe," he says with a sigh, "and I don't think you really want to know what happens in _that_ reality."

"You've seen it?"

"No," he says, "Thank the Dragons. But I've… heard things. Let's just leave it at that. What else?"

"I don't know," Gina hisses in frustration. _If he's my Sire, he's my lover…_ "Other than the… _obvious_. Uhm… Where do I like to be touched?"

There's a couple of options she can think of that would be considered good answers. Natsu suddenly gets a wolfish grin and leans in towards her. She can feel lust pour off of him in a potent wave.

"Good one," he growls, "but I don't think the answer is what you expect it to be."

"Oh?" she scoffs. "And why not?"

Gina holds very still as Natsu leans all the way in to whisper against the shell of her ear. "It's your wings."

Her spine stiffens.

"Remember when you crawled up in my lap in the woods?" he asks, nipping her ear with his teeth and soothing the sting with his lips, "And you wondered if I could make love to you in your _real_ skin?" Gina shivers at the memory of his skin adapting itself under her hands and feels desire stir in her belly. Her eyes begin to narrow again, as she realizes that he could do that for any fire Nymph. "Don't give me that look," he growls.

Natsu moves like lightning, dropping onto his knees and pulling her into a straddle over his lap. The movement surprises her, but not as much as when he whispers the Etherian spell to force her body to transform into its solid flame state. Her flames and her wings burst free from the prison of her human form and she can feel the excitement in his body as she rests her hands against his chest with a startled gasp.

"Kiss me, Gina," he dares her, "You've done it before."

 _True…_ She wraps her arms around his neck and he playfully nips her arm with his teeth, which sends a potent jolt of his love and lust screaming through her as she trembles.

"You belong here, baby," he groans, leaning in to kiss her.

This isn't the passionate but uncertain kiss of the Natsu in her own time. It's an overwhelming, dominating kiss from a Natsu who claims to know her better than she knows herself. Rejuvenating energy begins pouring through her and she breaks away with a gasp, feeling like she may actually drown beneath it. Natsu trails his mouth down her throat and grips the base of her smallest set of wings with both hands. His fingers find a spot on their underside which Gina didn't even know existed and she arches backward with a surprised cry of pleasure.

"That's my girl," he says with a rough chuckle against her throat.

He starts to toy with her wings again, but she shouts, "I believe you! I… _Oh Dragons_ , I believe you."

Natsu pulls back looking very self-satisfied and Gina is startled all over again by the Sire mark on his skin, and what it means for both of them. Then, something shiny catches Gina's eye behind him. When she glances up, he turns around to look too. It's a small floating orb, hovering in the air just inside the wall of fire he's encircled them with.

"Finally," Natsu mumbles, looking back at her. "Looks like Hibiki's gotten his little camera in where he can see."

"He can see me!" Gina shrieks, trying to hide her body behind his.

"It's okay," Natsu chuckles. "You look terrifying to him, when you should look delicious. I'll deal with him when we've sorted out our mess, but you're actually gonna need proof of how we fixed this. So…?"

His eyes search her own and Gina swallows hard. She knows what he's asking her and she trembles with the magnitude of it. He's asking her to be his Queen. He's asking her to choose him, and choose life. She never thought she'd be asked about her own choice. She traces one of the fire lilies on his shoulder with her thumb and feels a stillness settle in her gut. Every one of these little flowers is one of their children, her daughters. He _wants_ them.

"What do I do?" she asks.

"I'm gonna use the Amorous Merth a little different than normal," Natsu says with a wicked grin, as Gina feels her eyes widen in surprise, "but it _will_ work. You… you told me it's a little overwhelming, and I won't be able to talk to you much afterwards because your system will do some rapid repair. Your magic system might not recognize mine yet, but mine knows yours. That's all we need."

"Okay," Gina says, swallowing down her nervousness.

"There's one more important thing you have to know Gina," Natsu says, grimacing for a moment and leaning in to kiss her collarbone. "Not for right now… but for later." Gina nods, unsettled by the pain etched briefly on his face, as he runs his fingers through her feathers in a soothing way. "There _IS_ a way back from the Vitae Sang. Just remember that, okay?"

 _Vitae...Sang?_ Gina's heard the term before, spoken in Etherius, but she can't even remember what it means. Natsu said he can't tell her everything, but if she's choosing to live… she's choosing to trust him. "Alright. There's a… a way back."

"Good," Natsu nods, shaking off whatever memory plagued him and getting that greedy, wicked smile again. "You ready?"

"Yes," Gina nods, not really believing it.

Natsu closes his eyes and begins to concentrate and the fire around them begins to swirl.

 _What is he doing?_ Gina wonders. _The Amorous Merth doesn't use fire magic_.

It's a Sire's most powerful healing spell, which involves channeling his love and affection in a pure stream, of sorts, into the nymph's body to trigger regrowth. It's not something that's normally visible except for the occasional glow on the nymph's skin. Even then, it would take her father weeks to heal this much damage.

The fire around them grows hotter and begins spinning faster. It arcs over them into a dome before the center pulls straight down to rush over both of their bodies. Gina jumps in surprise, momentarily frightened for him. His tight grip on her hips keeps her steady until she realizes her concern is ridiculous. If _she_ doesn't burn him, he's not going to burn himself.

He pulls her in for another kiss and she's hit by a tidal wave of his passion. There's so much weight to it, she doesn't know how to breathe. She pulls away, gasping for air. He's focusing the full force of the Amorous Merth on her, but her body is resisting it. He doesn't have the right.

"I can't!" she shrieks, gripping his shoulders which have shifted into scaled skin.

"You can, baby," he insists. "I promise. Gina..." he places one of his hands over the Queen's mark on her belly, "Why are you doing this?"

 _Why?_ The fire around them is swirling like mad and her body feels torn in two, but she locks her gaze with his. His expression is pleading, desperate for her to help him. To do whatever it is that he needs. She wants to live. She wants to meet her children. To help him. She wants…

"I want you, Natsu," she says, feeling all the chaos in her settle to a strange stillness as a tear escapes down her cheek. "I want you to want me too. I… I love you."

Magical energy slams into her body where his hand lies against her stomach and lightning arcs through her entire magical system from the mark. Her back arcs with shock and she screams as his fingers bite into her hip again. Her wings react instinctively, trying to flee from the intensity, but he holds her still until the sensation morphs a moment later into an incredible warmth. Every nerve ending in her body begins to bloom with heat.

He lies her back with incredible gentleness as her eyelids begin to grow heavy, and he whispers the words to transform her body back into its human form. She is amazed when she sees a brilliant glow coming from her skin.

 _I look like a fallen star..._

"You did it, baby," he whispers with a kiss against her mouth; lying his body against hers, and pulling his cloak over her. "You saved us both. I need you to be patient with me when you wake back up. Okay?"

"Wake up?" she mumbles, feeling herself being pulled beneath utter exhaustion as heat and current continues running through her body.

"Yeah," he smiles. "I'll be there. I promise."

* * *

Hibiki stands in stunned silence, watching this strange Other Natsu lie Gina back against the floor of the cave. When he'd finally managed to fight the Archive camera through the firestorm from hell, he'd been horrified by what he'd seen. He thought Natsu was burning Gina alive until he realized Gina herself seemed unharmed by the flames. Now… he's not sure what the hell just happened.

Natsu disconnects his cloak and wraps it fully around Gina's body as he lifts her off the floor. She seems to be unconscious, and… glowing?!

"I uh…" Hibiki croaks, at a complete loss for words. "You… uh…"

"Hey, man," Natsu says with a smile, walking up with the now stunningly beautiful woman in his arms, "This is Aegina Asterope, my some-day wife. So _you_ have to think of her as Gina Dragneel."

"W-wife?" Hibiki asks in a hoarse whisper.

"Yeah, but walk and talk man," he says, beginning to walk past Hibiki in the direction he'd come from, "We've gotta get you guys back to your own time. You're like… 400 years in the future at the moment."

 _400 YEARS?!_ Hibiki stumbles, glancing wildly around. _How is HE here?_

"I'll explain everything on the way," Natsu just steamrolls on. "I'm gonna need your help, and don't worry. You'll have my complete permission to lie to me."


	39. Chapter 39 - Nymph Tale

Natsu's thoughts are spinning so fast he can barely keep one foot in front of the other. _My kid?! MY KID?! How did I let her get separated from me? When is she born? Who is her mom? Do we have other kids? How am I supposed to get her back home?!_

Natsu stumbles on a rock in the mine shaft floor. He clutches Destiny tighter to his chest, keeping his arms around her as much as possible to shield her from any attack he may not see coming.

"Be careful, Natsu," Erza warns. "You can't let yourself get so distracted that you're not paying attention to your surroundings."

"Yeah, Erza, I know," he spits with a thundering heart. "Hey, Destiny. Do you know who was chasing you when you fell from the ceiling?"

"No," she sniffs against his throat. "They wanna hurt Daddy."

 _Shit. So she was targeted because they were after me…_ "Where the heck was I?"

"Und'a the floor," she mumbles.

"No, before that," he asks again. "Where was your dad when they started chasing you?"

"He was with Scarlet," she says with another sniff. "He said... run away!"

 _Idiot!_ "Happy, remind me never to do that," Natsu barks.

"Aye," Happy says.

"Hold on," Erza says, holding up a hand, but Natsu hears it too. "Let me go check…"

"It's Gray's group," Natsu informs her. "I can hear them talkin'. But… go check anyway." _I'm not gonna take any chances on screwing this up._

"Erza?" he hears Gray call as Erza runs forward.

"Oh, thank God," Lucy is quick to follow. "We're completely lost."

"Is Moorwen still with you?" Erza asks as Natsu decides to continue up behind her.

"Nah," Gray shrugs. "He fell through the floor a few tunnels back. I hope that means he's okay."

"How do we even know that?" Natsu hisses in frustration. "We shouldn't just assume they're okay!"

"Well, what do you expect me to do about it?" Gray barks back before his eyes go wide, taking in the child in Natsu's arms. "Who is that?"

Ming chatters from Erza's shoulder, waving his arms towards the little girl. Lucy, Wendy, and Carla all join them in an odd circle with their eyes as wide as saucers, scrutinizing her.

"This is Destiny," Erza says, slipping into a more formal introduction. "Destiny… Dragneel."

"Oh my GOD, she's so cute!" Lucy squeals.

"Do you know… uh… when she comes from?" Gray asks, tugging at his collar.

"She says her father is Natsu Dragneel," Erza is quick to answer.

Natsu feels tongue-tied.

"What the heck happened to her arm?" Gray asks, shrugging out of his coat.

"Some assholes were chasing her," Natsu replies.

"Natsu, watch your language!" Lucy hisses.

 _Oh yeah…_ "They hurt her arm before she dropped in on us. Literally. From the ceiling."

"Where on Earthland are Gina and Hibiki?" Carla is quick to ask.

"We lost them at the same time that we found Destiny," Erza informs her. "The area was highly unstable."

"Can I help?" Wendy asks, stepping towards Natsu and Destiny with her hands already glowing blue. Ming has apparently jumped down and started tugging Wendy toward them by the straps on her shoes.

 _Duh… Geez, I'm slow._ "Yeah, Wendy, that would be awesome," Natsu replies, crouching down himself, so he doesn't have to try and pry Destiny from around his neck. "We need to find Gina quick."

Wendy peels the bandage back and the severity of the wound on her arm makes Natsu feel slightly ill. Ming scurries up Natsu's shoulder to inspect it for himself.

 _You really messed up this time…_ Natsu thinks. _Whoever her mom is… she's gonna kill me._

Wendy places her glowing hands over the wound and the flesh begins to knit itself back together. Natsu starts to shield Destiny's eyes, but she pushes his hand away and watches Wendy work.

" _She's_ doin' it right," Destiny says, glaring at him.

"I'm sorry," Natsu says with a sigh, "Believe it or not kid, I haven't learned healing magic yet." Then he mumbles a quick, "Didn't plan to."

"Oh," Destiny says with a confused expression. Then she looks expectantly at Wendy. "Who are you?"

"I'm Wendy Marvel," Wendy says with a huge smile.

"I'm kinda surprised you don't recognize her," Lucy says, kneeling down to their level with a smile. "Of course, she's probably a lot bigger by the time you're born. What about me? Do you recognize me?"

Destiny looks back and forth between all of them and then tucks her face into his scarf again. _Wow… she must be really shy._ Then she peaks back out again and bolts upright in his arms after looking back at Gray. He's taken his shirt off and she looks surprised.

"Really, Snowman?" Natsu hisses. "Why don't you keep your clothes on!"

"Huh?" Gray says, looking down. "Aww, damn."

"Gray…" Destiny whispers and then a huge smile breaks out across her face. "Gray Fullbust'a!"

"Geez… that's why you recognize me," Gray says, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I never saw you befo'," Destiny says, "but you're in my bedtime sto'wy! I… I'm in my bedtime sto'wy!"

"Bedtime story?" Natsu asks, feeling completely confused.

"Really?" Erza says, sitting down on the floor where the rest of them are kneeling. "What kind of bedtime story is it?"

"Daddy tells it to me eve'wy night," Destiny beams.

 _That is such a good idea!_ Natsu sings in his head. _Go me!_ "Can you tell us the story?"

Destiny looks unsure for a moment, and then mumbles, "Daddy said I'm not supposed to tell."

 _What?!_ Natsu rages at himself. _You idiot!_

"Do you remember all of our names?" Erza asks.

"Uh huh," Destiny nods much more quickly. She starts naming everyone in the group, one by one. "You're Uncle Gray Fullbust'a and Auntie Lucy. You're Auntie Wendy and Auntie Ewza. You're Happy, and you're Cawla. I don't see Uncle Gajeel Wedfox, Auntie Levy, or Panth'a Wily. Oh, and this is Ming, but you know dat."

She picks the ferret up and cradles him like a baby doll.

"Gajeel and the others are in a different part of the mine right now," Erza says with a smile.

"Did I mention a woman named Gina?" Natsu asks.

Destiny shakes her head no and looks away and Natsu feels his heart sink right through the floor.

"That probably just means Destiny goes home before we meet back up with Gina, right?" Lucy says with a strain in her voice. "Yeah, I'm sure that's it."

Finally, the suspense is too much. "Destiny, what's your mommy's name?"

"Natsu!" Erza scolds him. "Destiny, don't answer that."

"Why the heck not?" Natsu growls back.

"It's too dangerous for any of us to know too much about our futures," she argues.

"She's right, man," Gray says with a sigh. "What if you end up with the wrong chick just because she had the right name?"

"Then it's my freakin' problem!" Natsu shouts back.

"No, it would be Destiny's problem!" Gray argues.

"STOP YELLING!" Destiny screeches, throwing her hands over her ears as Ming nuzzles her face.

"Sorry, kid," Natsu mumbles feeling sheepish.

"Daddy says…" Destiny says very quietly as she drops her hands, "he says Mommy is da most pwettiest woman in da whole wo'ld."

"Thanks, Destiny," Natsu sighs, feeling a smile creep onto his face. "That's… good to know."

"Destiny, I am going to ask you two more questions," Erza says, "but you only answer if you feel like your daddy would be okay with it. Alright?"

Destiny nods.

"Are the people who were chasing you in your bedtime story?"

Destiny nods again.

"Do they show up in your bedtime story later?"

"Yeah," Destiny says, clinging tighter to Natsu's scarf. "Daddy's gonna fight dem."

* * *

"You can't be serious!" Hibiki chokes back at this strange Natsu from the future. "You'll _kill_ me!"

"No, I won't," Natsu sighs. "I'm not gonna lie, I'll be pretty pissed off, but I'll know why you did it. Trust me. If we deviate in any way, everything goes to hell all over again. I can't let that happen. Now… hold on."

Natsu waves his hand in front of them, in the seemingly dead-end passageway. The wall begins to shimmer like the time distortions they've run into before and then opens up to a clear image. Hibiki is shocked to realize they're looking into the inside cabin of Christina - his guild's Pegasus-shaped airship.

 _What on Earthland?!_ Hibiki gasps. "How did you do that?"

"Just step in there, open your archive magic, and make sure I'm connected to the right date, will ya?" Natsu huffs. "Quick. This isn't as easy as it looks."

Hibiki hurries through and does as instructed. "Yeah," he confirms, "According to the archive, it's only around five minutes since we fell through the portal."

"Ha! Nailed it!" Natsu cheers. "Now, I remember there being an infirmary on this thing. Lead the way."

"We've got something close," Hibiki explains. "We can lie her down in there."

Natsu walks through the portal and it closes behind him. Hibiki leads him through the hallways until they arrive in a large room with a plush couch. There are cabinets around the outside of the room full of dozens of Ichiya's various healing parfums.

"This is the best we have," Hibiki says as he touches a lacrima on the side of the couch and it shifts into a large, and even more luxurious, king-size bed.

"Is it clean?" Natsu says with a suspicious glance.

"Of course," Hibiki scoffs. "Hygiene is essential to the proper treatment of any guest."

"Do you have the clothes I mentioned?" Natsu walks over and lies Gina back gently on the mattress, stroking the side of her face with his fingertips. He's carefully keeping his cloak over her body.

"Yes, although I was completely dumbfounded by why you wanted me to bring women's clothes. I thought it was unlikely that you had similar tastes to Master Bob." _The idea of Natsu wearing a woman's dress had been mildly terrifying._

Natsu lets out a howl of laughter. "Hey, I don't look half bad in a dress when the situation calls for it. Anyway, hand 'em over, so I can change her before I leave. These are pretty decent fireproof clothes, but they weren't really up to the hell I just put them through."

"Are you sure you should…?" Hibiki asks with a sly grin.

"If you even _think_ about offering to do it, I am going to incinerate you," Natsu glares, and Hibiki is hit by a sudden sense of magic power so overwhelming that it threatens to bring him to his knees.

"Of c-course not!" he stutters. "I just meant that… Well… won't I have to _say_ that I did it?"

"Uhh… I'm tryin' to remember," Natsu says, scratching his head for a moment. "Oh no. You said I did it. Then everyone can only be mad at me, but I won't be around; so, no biggie. But we need to hurry."

"Why?" Hibiki asks. "Can't you just warp time around?"

"I'm trying to do as little of that as I have to," Natsu sighs, "this is the biggest drain on my magic system that I've felt in my life. I don't want to push my luck, but if I remember right, they're already running into trouble again."

* * *

"Come back here you bastard!" Gajeel screams as he takes off down the tunnel after the strange man and woman that attacked them.

"They've disappeared again," Panther Lily says as he slows down from their pursuit.

"Darn!" Levy says. "I wish we knew who they were. Or why the heck they were attacking us."

"Well, let's keep moving," Gajeel grumbles.

They continue on at a slower pace through the strange shimmering tunnels. They've already looped back around on themselves twice, and Gajeel is getting sick of it. He thought their scents would prevent it from happening, but these tunnels connect in all kinds of random ways. After a few minutes, however, Levy spots one of the markings on the wall from Team A, with Natsu and Erza.

"Look!" she shouts. "I bet if we follow these, we can at least meet up with somebody."

"I wonder if Moorwen is still with Team B," Panther Lily muses aloud.

"Geez don't remind me," Gajeel winces.

The idea of running into his kid is scary as hell. He never really planned on having kids. Didn't think he'd be too good for the job. His kids would be badasses of course. The fact that he had them, though, would indicate that at some point he knocks some chick up. He can only hope it was intentional.

"Are you going to be okay if we run into him?" Levy asks with her hand on his arm.

"I'll deal with it," he shrugs with a racing heart.

"Gajeel!" Natsu's echoing voice suddenly bounces off the inside of his skull. "Is that you I smell man? Come on! We need to regroup!"

"Did you hear something?" Panther Lily asks.

"Yeah," he says, straightening his spine. "Sounds like Salamander's team is close. We should move."

* * *

If Natsu has to hold onto this kid much longer, he's going to die of an anxiety attack. _How the heck am I supposed to get her back home?_ They've wandered deep into the mine and just discovered a massive cavern.

"What do you think the miners would create a room this large for?" Erza asks.

"Look!" Gray shouts, pointing to the back of the room. "It looks like they're trying to dig out something huge back there, but that's not an ore deposit."

Sure enough, there seems to be some kind of huge pedestal which has only been partially excavated. It's nearly two stories tall, with a body of metal and stone, twisted up like the trunk of an ancient tree. There are thick veins of red lacrima running through it, which seem to be pulsating with magical energy.

"Maybe that thing is what's causing all this time mess," Natsu suggests as Destiny continues to cling around his neck. He tries to ignore Ming's persistent stench from his other shoulder.

"Could be," Gray says, walking up beside them. "Moorwen said the distortions were connected to the timeline of a single person though. I wonder how it could be doing that. Time magic takes an incredible amount of energy to accomplish, but I guess it's possible that there's enough stored up in that thing. Especially if it's got roots that go deep."

"Hey, guys!" Gajeel's voice suddenly calls from the back of the cavern. "I guess all roads lead to this weird thing. What the hell is it?"

Natsu turns towards the sound. "Hey, man! About time you showed up. Have you seen…?"

"Natsu look out!" Lucy screams from behind him.

He doesn't know where the attack is coming from; so, he drops Destiny in the blink of an eye and attempts to curl his torso over the top of her. There's a tremendous clash of metal to his left and when he risks a glance, Erza is standing within a couple of feet of him and holding up a shield against something.

 _Wait… That's not Erza._ She looks scary similar, but she doesn't smell right. She smells vaguely like fire and sugar… _Or honey maybe?_ It's very similar to Gina's scent, but not quite right. It makes sense, though, because she's obviously a fire wielder. She's dressed in something that resembles Erza's Flame Empress armor but again is different in the details. She has the same long red hair, pulled back high in a ponytail. _Is this an imposter?!_

The strange woman turns towards him and asks, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, thanks," he replies. "What's going…"

"What the hell is _she_ doing here?!" a man's voice roars, and Natsu can tell instantly that it's the same voice of the man who hurt Destiny. It makes his blood boil.

"He must be onto our plan somehow!" the woman who was with him before shrieks in response.

The two asshats are perched on a ledge high up on the wall, formed out of the strange mushroom-like top of the pedestal. The woman has lavender hair, dark skin, and crazy-green eyeshadow that makes her look a little clownish. The man has tanned skin, beady blue eyes, and a bright blue mohawk. They're both wearing some strange kind of red jumpsuits with armor-like patches across them. Instead of a bullwhip, the man is now wielding a huge staff with blades on each end.

"Your plan was doomed to failure from the start, Jerusha!" the new Not-Erza screams back at them and the woman gasps. "What? Are you surprised that I know your names? I know yours too, Claude. I won't let you have him!"

 _Oh yeah…_ Natsu vaguely remembers the man calling the woman Jerusha during their scuffle before. Claude must be mohawk man. _Him? Is him, me?_

"Who are _you_?" Gray finally asks Not-Erza, taking his eyes off the enemy for only a moment.

"I'm Scarlet Dragneel," she says, casting aside her shield as it re-quips out of sight.

Natsu and Erza exchange an awkward glance. _No,_ Natsu chokes internally. Scarlet glances back at him with a devilish grin.

"Named after my aunt, and godmother, of course," she says. "You knew I would look like her before I was born because I am your firstborn child."

 _Another one?! You've got to be kidding me!_

Destiny suddenly leans in close to his ear and whispers, "It's gonna be okay now. Daddy will be here soon."

"I better be," Natsu mutters back to her, feeling completely off balance, "or I'm gonna kick my own butt."

"It's of no consequence who she is!" Jerusha shouts from above the pedestal. "As soon as we kill you, she won't ever exist!"

"Stay behind me!" Scarlet orders.

The woman pulls out a massive bullwhip and Natsu suddenly feels rage burned through his veins like acid. _That woman helped cut Destiny's arm!_ Gajeel, Panther Lily, and Levy have finally caught up with the group and Natsu pries Destiny from around his neck.

"Take her!" he orders, shoving the young girl at Gajeel. "Put an iron barrier around her, now! Don't let anything touch her!"

"Holy dragons! Is this your kid?" Gajeel roars with surprise.

"Just keep them from getting to her!" Natsu screams and lunges for Jerusha, hoping Ming can hold on. He doesn't make it more than a step or two, though, before Scarlet is blocking his path.

"You have to stay behind me!" she orders with a backward glance.

"You said you're my kid!" Natsu shouts, as he barely believes the words coming out of his own mouth. "I'm not gonna let them hurt you!"

"She doesn't stand a chance," Scarlet suddenly laughs. "Fire Dragon... ROAR!"

Through his anger, Natsu feels a twinge of awe and pride as the beautiful woman blasts both the man and the woman into the back of the cavern wall. He's just as surprised to see how quickly the couple is back on their feet and moving again. They start circling around the edge of the cavern quickly. Gajeel has thankfully done as instructed and enclosed himself and Destiny inside of a fortified barrier with only enough tiny access points to see through. The rest of the team is already moving.

"Light!" Levy shouts, as the word bursts forth on the ceiling and illuminates the giant room.

"Ice-make cannon!" Gray shouts, blasting the two enemies apart.

"Gate of the Golden Bull, Taurus!" Lucy shouts as a giant cow-like celestial spirit bursts onto the scene, mooing and wielding a giant ax.

"Heaven's wheel!" Erza shouts, requipping into a dress-like armor with huge wings and heavy metal plating. She hurls a multitude of swords in each enemy's direction.

To everyone's shock, the swords shatter upon impact with the strange armor the enemies are wearing and they don't even pause in their movements towards Natsu.

"Stinging fingers!" Jerusha shouts and vines burst forth from the ground around each person's feet. The vines wrap around any limb they can get a grip on and multiple members of the party cry out in pain. Natsu feels Happy snatch him up by the shoulders instantly and fly him out of their reach.

"I've got ya, Natsu," Happy says.

"Thanks, buddy," Natsu replies, without taking his eyes off of Scarlet. To his shock, her body shifts instantly into a pure-flame state. "Holy shit!"

"What?" Happy asks, turning to see.

Wendy was snatched up by Carla quickly, but Natsu is distracted next by an angry roar from Gajeel. The iron barrier covering them is hurled off and against the far wall, and Natsu's heart stops as he sees the big wizard collapse onto his knees while holding Destiny high above his head. The vines are wrapped around both of Gajeel's legs and seem to be digging into his flesh with some kind of huge thorns. They're trying to climb to the little girl. Ming is racing toward them.

"Gajeel!" Levy screams.

"Drop me now, Happy!" Natsu roars and Happy obeys.

Happy swoops over as fast as his wings will carry him. Ming leaps over and through the stinging vines, snapping them off with his teeth as they try to reach the girl. Within moments, Happy plucks Destiny out of Gajeel's desperate hands and Ming backflips away chittering with bared teeth at the creeping vines. Happy flies straight for the opposite end of the room, trying to get more distance from the enemy. Then, he cries out as Natsu barely catches sight of the dagger that flew by and sliced his paw.

Destiny falls.

"NO!" Natsu screams, but as he moves to run, burning pain slices around his leg, and he realizes he's been caught by one of the stinging vines.

He can't take his eyes off her and feels completely helpless as she keeps falling.

"Ice-make, Slide!" Gray shouts in a pain-filled voice from behind him and an arc of ice bursts forward and catches Destiny before gliding her down onto a high ledge along the rock wall of the cavern.

"Oh God, Gray," Natsu chokes, feeling his entire body tremble in fear, "Thank you, man."

"No problem…" Gray whispers.

Natsu glances back to see Gray lying face down with his hands pressed together, despite the vines trying to tear both of his arms apart. He's coated his body in ice, but there's enough blood to show that many of the thorns have found their way through. Gray goes limp and the vines crush him to the ground.

"GRAY!" Natsu shouts, bursting flames forth from his entire body in rage.

The vines crawling up his leg burn up and drop off instantly. He sprints for Gray and begins trying to burn the vines off, but it's taking too long. Ming leaps back to Gajeel, snapping at the vines constricting him. A resounding clash sounds above Natsu's head and he glances up in surprise to see Scarlet blocking Claude's bladed staff from reaching his back. Claude dances back away from her an instant later and moves to attack Erza's unguarded back.

 _These assholes are fighting dirty!_ "Get back here!" Natsu screams.

Erza hears him and turns just in time to come around with her sword and take an inch off of the man's mohawk. He moves almost as fast as Laxus, or he'd be dead.

"Extra hands!" Jerusha shouts and Natsu is enraged to see that she's working her way towards Destiny again.

In a flash, eight enormous spiders appear out of thin air and begin climbing down the walls. They're each twice as big as Elfman and their fangs drip with something Natsu is pretty sure is deadly. Two are making their way towards Destiny. Two are flanking the other Fairy Tail wizards and four are surrounding him and Scarlet.

"Dammit, Scarlet, get out of here!" he shouts at her, "You need to get to Destiny!"

"I won't leave you!" she barks back. "They're using magic hundreds of years advanced from yours. You _need_ me!"

"What in heaven's name is that?" Erza shouts and Natsu realizes he can feel a wave of sudden magical energy heading towards them that is the most terrifying yet.

"Dad!" Scarlet shouts as her face lights up in a radiant smile.

 _Me?_ Natsu thinks.

BOOM!

An explosion bursts forth from the mouth of the cavern with enough force to knock every single person to their knees if they were still standing. The huge volume of fire weaves its way around the room at lightning speed like a giant snake. It weaves through the wizards without touching them and the hideous insects shriek as they're incinerated one after another. Screams of surprise and fear erupt from nearly everyone in the room as the temperature skyrockets. The vines wither away and charr. Jerusha and Claude sprint for the back of the room.

Then, with a whoosh of sound, the fire is gone and a solitary figure walks calmly into the room. Erza takes a knee with wide eyes and trembling hands as the magical energy radiating from him hits them with more force than Natsu has ever felt from Gramps or Gildarts in his entire life. Natsu feels like pinching himself, as the figure soon proves to be another version of him. Weirdly enough, though, this version of him looks barely any older than he is now.

He's wearing only a pair of black pants and sandals. He still has his guild stamp, but he's also got an impressive full-body tattoo, which he seems to want to show off with the cut of his clothes. Natsu's never seen anything like it. It's weird because he'd never really planned on getting any ink done.

"You… you're a Nymph Sire," Levy whispers from behind them, as she struggles to help Gajeel back to his feet.

 _Huh?_ Natsu thinks, then he remembers that he just saw Scarlet transform into a pure-flame state a moment ago. _Oh yeah… wait. Does that mean her mother's a nymph?_

"You!" the new Natsu shouts with an accusing finger at the retreating enemy wizards. "You hurt my little girl…"


	40. Chapter 40 - Promise

"Hey, Future Me!" Natsu shouts, running towards him and ignoring the throbbing pain in his leg. "Where is Gina?"

"Out of harm's way," Future Natsu says with a wave of his hand. "Let me deal with these creeps first."

"Why is he here?" Claude shouts. "This is pointless! We can't defeat him!"

"Did you idiots really think you could come back to my own past to kill me and I wouldn't remember?" Future Natsu laughs. "I only let you think you could power this machine on your own because I needed the lift back. Thanks for putting in all the leg work, by the way. Your goons will be rounded up and handed over to the Council by the time we get back."

"You're lying!" Jerusha screams.

"Bet me," Future Natsu says, slamming a flaming fist into his palm as the ground quakes beneath him. "Nymph hunters get no quarter from me. If you're smart, you'll surrender now. I won't lose a moment's sleep turning you to ash!"

"Nymph hunters..." Levy says.

"You mean people hunt nymphs?" Gray asks as Levy starts to drag him back to the group.

Natsu glances at Scarlet, making her way to Future Natsu's side, and at Destiny high on the antechamber wall. If my kids are nymphs…

"What do they hunt them for?" he asks himself, barely able to get the words out.

"They're harvested for their magical energy," Future Natsu says without taking his eyes off the enemy. "Like living lacrima. They're drained or enslaved until they die. It's been illegal for generations, but since when does the law stop evil?"

Drained? Natsu shudders as a terrible memory rushes him. He and Wendy were chained to rocks like animals as the people of Edolas used a machine to drain them of their dragon-slayer magic because they wanted to use it. The process was torturous. Natsu had screamed and screamed until he passed out. Worse yet, he'd had to hang there and watch Wendy scream, helpless to stop them, trying to convince her not to give in to the pain. The thought of someone doing that to Scarlet or Destiny...

"DADDY!" Destiny screams.

Both he and his future self turn towards her scream. There is a new vine creeping towards her with its toxic thorns. Natsu glances back at his team members and realizes they're deteriorating quickly. Levy's leg is black and green with poison, but she's leaning over Gajeel's body which is almost completely discolored. Gray is in a similar state with poison spreading from multiple wounds. Lucy seems unharmed, but her celestial spirit must have been wounded and retreated. Wendy is trying to heal Gray's wounds as fast as she can, but the poison is spreading almost as fast as she can heal it. Panther Lily even has poison crippling one of his arms.

"Happy!" Natsu shouts, desperate to get Destiny further away from the toxic plant.

"Aye!" Happy says.

"You remember what we practiced, kiddo?" Future Natsu calls to Destiny.

"I'm scared!" she screams.

"Jump, baby!" Future Natsu says. "Do it NOW!"

"Are you crazy?!" Natsu screams. Happy isn't close enough!

Time seems to slow as Destiny hurls herself off the ledge on the antechamber wall and into the open air. Claude is already in motion hurling his spear towards the child.

"NO!" Natsu screams, as Happy just lifts him by his shoulders.

It's too late. The spear is going to hit her. He's going to watch his little girl die and he's only just met her.

Suddenly, Destiny's body transforms into a pure flame state and the spear passes harmlessly through the dead-center of her abdomen. Three sets of little wings burst forth from her back as she transitions again into solid flames. She starts trying to glide her way down to the ground, but she's obviously not a skilled flyer. Natsu catches her up into his arms as his skin turns hard as dragon scales wherever her flames touch him. Happy sags slightly under the additional weight.

"Good job, sweetheart!" Future Natsu calls.

"She's his new Queen!" Jerusha shouts. "And you let her get away, you idiot!"

"Now that you know that," Future Natsu says, "Neither of you can leave this chamber alive."

The ground quakes again and Future Natsu drops to a knee looking suddenly tired.

"Wait…" Jerusha says. "He said he's the one powering the machine! This is our chance! He'll never be as weak as he is now."

I'm powering that thing?! Natsu wonders. They're calling THIS me WEAK?!

"Wicked Bite!" Jerusha shouts.

"Death's Shadow!" Claude screams.

Twelve monstrous serpents rise up from the ground, equal in size to the winged snake the poison dragon slayer Cobra used to ride around. Shadows start to crawl down from the walls and floor, behind every rock and ledge, morphing into hideous shapes with claws and teeth. They start rushing the group from every side. Erza changes into her cheetah-print Flight Armor, increasing her speed to try and target as many enemies as she can, but each foe would be powerful enough to take her on by itself. One of the shadows starts leaping from the wall towards him and Destiny.

"Fire Dragon, Iron Fist!" he screams, knocking it back.

"We'll get your girls, yet, Dragneel!" Claude taunts, and Natsu begins to see red. "It's a shame Scarlet's almost used up, but that new little one will last a long, long time."

"Dragon Slayer's Secret Art!" Future Natsu screams. "Fire-Make Dragon Army!"

"Did he just say, fire-make?" Gray groans, trying to lift his head.

Ten flaming dragons shapes burst onto the scene, confronting the army of snakes and shadows before them. Each dragon seems to be laced with another element in addition to the fire-base. Natsu recognizes the black, god-slayer flames, Laxus's lightning, and what looks like it might even be pure etherion. There are several new elements though, including ice, wind, iron, and some he doesn't recognize.

"That's so awesome!" he screams.

"I told ya he was da strongest," Destiny says.

Happy sets Natsu down on the ground once again, and as much as he wants to launch himself into the battle, he can't risk Destiny's safety again. Destiny changes back to a human appearance and Scarlet runs over to cover his back.

"Scarlet, take your sister and get out of here!" he shouts.

"Never!" she screams. "I cannot leave you undefended!"

"If you're my kid, you can damn well do what I say!" he argues. "I want you out of here!"

"If you die, neither of us will ever be born!"

Natsu's blood runs cold and he looks down at the little girl with the unruly pink curls. His attention is drawn back into the fight as Scarlet clashes swords with Claude once again. Man, these guys are incredibly powerful! As impressive as the Dragon Army is, it's only barely holding the enemy back. They're going to lose ground soon. Too many party members are out of commission.

"Dad, the gate!" Scarlet shouts.

"The what?" Both Natsu's shout in unison.

"The GATE!"

"Oh, right," Future Natsu says.

In an instant, scaled dragon wings burst forth from Future Natsu's back and he launches himself into the air. Then, with a wave of his hand, the air in front of him shimmers and a stream of ice spews forth, striking multiple serpents. A figure emerges from the portal, and Natsu is shocked to realize it's Lyon from Lamia Scale.

"About time, you nitwit," Lyon sighs. "Did you honestly forget I was coming?"

"Yeah, so sue me," Future Natsu sighs. "You try powering this thing."

"Not on your life," Lyon laughs. "Even you shouldn't be able to power a device like this. If you hadn't already pulled it off in the past I would have never believed it. You're lucky Gray explained everything before you could forget."

"Thanks buddy," Future Natsu smiles down at the poison-riddled Gray.

"No… problem," Gray groans. "I guess."

"Shit!" Jerusha screams. "We need to get out of here!"

"It's too late for that now!" Lyon shouts. "Ice-make, dragons!"

Fifteen ice dragons burst onto the scene and begin joining with the fire dragons to destroy the encroaching snakes and shadows. Jerusha and Claude both hurl themselves toward Natsu and Destiny. Scarlet manages to block Claude's attack, but Jerusha's whip lashes around Natsu's throat and he drops Destiny. The whip reminds him of the wound on Destiny's arm and he feels rage boil over.

These sick freaks are hunting and killing my kids!

He grabs ahold of the whip and lights it on fire, sending the flames back to Jerusha's hands.

"I'll make you pay for her arm!" The second that he has both of them lined up in his sights, he screams, "Dragon Slayer's Secret Art, Crimson Lotus, Exploding Flame Blade!"

Without fear of harming Destiny or Scarlet, the torrent of flames overpowers the two spent mages from the future and sends them crashing into an unconscious heap against the far wall. The serpents, shadows, and ice and fire dragons all dissipate into the air.

Natsu scoops Destiny back up into his arms and runs toward his future self. "Get them out of here! Send them back where they're safe!"

"Come here, little girl," Future Natsu says, lifting the little nymph into his arms. "It looks like Wendy did a pretty good job with your arm huh? Why don't I just make sure."

He kisses the top of her arm gently and it glows for just a moment before the little girl hugs him tightly around the neck.

"Now, go with your sister. I'll be home before Mom puts you to bed," he says.

"But, Daddy…" Destiny whines. "I don't wanna…"

"Don't argue with Dad," Scarlet sighs, taking the little girl. Then she turns to Lyon. "You did remember the antidote, right?"

"Of course," Lyon sighs. "I wasn't about to trust Natsu's memory."

Lyon walks over to the wounded Fairy Tail mages and starts giving them some sort of medicine from a syringe.

"You… you're a nymph Sire too?" Levy whispers.

It's only then that Natsu realizes Lyon also has an elaborate blue tattoo running down one side of his neck and arm.

"Best decision of my life," Lyon nods.

"So… your… our wife," Natsu chokes out the question to himself. "She's a nymph Queen?"

Future Natsu looks at him through narrowed eyes and waves his hand to open another portal. It shimmers and the ground quakes and Future Natsu kneels in fatigue.

"You need to leave," Lyon says, rushing over to him. "This is too much strain on your system. Your girls need you."

"Just check it," Future Natsu wheezes.

Lyon steps into and out of the portal quickly then nods to Scarlet. She starts to rush through but hesitates. She glances back at Natsu and the rest of the party.

"You're the best Dad," she says with a sniff, "I miss you all."

She rushes out of sight and into safety and Future Natsu shuts the portal again, sagging under his fatigue.

"How on Earthland are you powering something like this?" Erza steps forward to ask.

"Both of us are dramatically more powerful than any of you could hope to be, simply because of the biological bond with our Queen," Lyon explains. "However, Natsu's unusual skills as a Dragon Slayer meant he was able to become exponentially more powerful over time. In our time, he is Lord Sire - ruler of the nymph societies - and virtually undefeatable. Thus, the hunters attempted to kill him before he gained that power. Even then, this was a fool-hearty risk, but one he stubbornly chose to take."

"Ask your questions now," Future Natsu says, looking up, "before my strength is gone."

"I thought we weren't allowed to…" Gray mumbles.

"Shut up, Gray!" Natsu says. "Where is Gina?"

"She's aboard Christina with Hibiki," Future Natsu says. "And yes, I've healed her illness."

But your wife is a nymph… "Is our wife the nymph from the woods?" Natsu asks.

"Yeah." Future Natsu gets a smile that tells him volumes about that relationship.

Weird… but okay. "How long will it be before Gina gets sick again?"

"She won't."

Natsu feels suddenly so light that he could float away. Yes! We did it! We…

"Gina doesn't die from an illness," Future Natsu continues, making Natsu crash back hard. "She dies in a battle."

"What, like, when she's an old woman?" Natsu asks, trying not to panic.

"I've only briefly extended the time she has," the bastard says.

"That's bullshit!" Natsu explodes, feeling rage burn through him. "You're altering TIME! Just go back and alter it again!"

"It's not that simple, Natsu!" Lyon butts in. "You have no idea how hard it is for him to…"

"You think I haven't tried?" Future Natsu laughs, but it's a twisted sound. "Gina's death is a fixed event in this period of history. You can't begin to understand this, but it directly affects hundreds of thousands of timelines, mostly because it alters yours. It has already been reset. Again and again. This is the future that has to happen. This is the only one where you get to raise our girls and have a future."

The strength seems to leave his body and Natsu's knees impact the hard soil.

"What happens?" he asks, grasping at straws. "How does she die?"

"Natsu, you shouldn't…" Lyon says.

"He needs to know!" Future Natsu shouts.

Our entire party seems to hold their breath.

"It doesn't matter what you do, or what you try," Future Me says with haunted eyes. "Death will keep coming for her in new ways at new times. This time, it will wait until just when you allow yourself to believe it's safe. One minute, you're flying high, feeling the flames course through your veins. You're going to win. The next, you hear Lucy screaming. By the time you turn, she's already gone, with nothing but empty eyes staring back at you."

Natsu feels nausea wash over him and he doubles over into the dirt.

"Natsu!" Erza shouts, coming over to grip Natsu's shoulders. "Stop it! Stop hurting him! I don't know who you've become, but you were never cruel!"

"If cruelty is required for my kids to live, I'll do it!" Future Natsu says. "Do you know what happens to him in that moment, Erza? Without warning? Without the ability to prepare himself?!"

"Shut up," Natsu groans into the dirt, feeling like his chest is caving in and his entire magic system is burning with real pain. It's almost like being drained.

"He's in the middle of the battle too," Future Natsu whispers. "All of your lives hang in the balance. He knows that, but when he sees her, he… I dropped my guard. I knew the strike was coming. I could see it. I'd even been told. Here. Now. But I didn't want to dodge, and I didn't want to fight anymore. I chose to take the hit. Knowing it would kill me."

"No," Erza whispers.

Natsu feels Erza's arms tighten around him as her tears splash against his shoulder.

"But you don't have that option," Future Natsu growls. He grabs his younger self by the vest and lifts him to his feet, shaking him. "Do you understand me?! Look at them! Look!"

Natsu turns to see the horror-struck expressions of his team. Lucy's face is pressed against Gray's neck, and Levy is pulled tightly against Gajeel's chest. Wendy is trying to hug all three exceeds at once, with tears running down her face.

"All of them die if you take that hit!" Future Natsu rages. "You hear me? All of them! But I have to admit, I could have let that go."

Natsu turns back, feeling anger begin to grow in his gut again. How dare you!

"What I can't let go, is my girls!" Natsu is shaken like a rag doll in the grip of his older self. "Remember their faces! Remember their names! Look at my mark!" He seems to point to the weird tattoo on his side. "Every one of these little flowers is one of your kids!"

WHAT?! Natsu's mind can't take any more shock. That's… that's not even possible!

"Scarlet and Destiny will never be born if you die that day. Do you hear me? Swear to me! Swear to me that you'll fight through the pain! You'll live! Not for you! But for them!"

The image of Gina's lifeless face and ashen curls flashes through Natsu's mind. Her body listless. Her spark extinguished. Pain tears through his chest like a knife before racing up to split his skull. He grinds his teeth until he's sure they'll crack, groaning against the agony.

"Natsu…" Lyon says, placing a gentle hand on Future Natsu's shoulder. "You know what you're asking of him. Maybe..."

"No! He'll swear it to me!"

You're not doin' it right! Destiny's voice calls.

Dad! Scarlet's face lights up.

He's da mostest… mostest strong wizard in Fairy Tail.

"I swear," Natsu is just as surprised as everyone else to hear himself say. "I swear I'll fight for Scarlet and Destiny. For their future. Not mine. I promise."


	41. Chapter 41 - New Life

Natsu hovers by the door of Christina's make-shift infirmary. He's already been through an emotional roller-coaster, and he's not sure he can handle another loop. Hibiki said she's in here, alive and well. The rest of the team is already inside, but Natsu's been making excuses for over an hour, insisting on staying below and helping the town clean up as much as possible.

After his future self got the promise he wanted, he and Lyon managed to warp the time device itself into another time, leaving the technology out of their reach for a few hundred years. That entire section of the mine collapsed and they all had to make a mad dash for the exit. The townspeople are more than a little pissed off that their major find is now gone, but he figures only bad things could have come from it being found now anyway. Just another job without a payday.

Well… not really.

"You gonna be okay, man?" Gray asks, walking up with a slight limp, bandaged from head to toe.

"Sure," Natsu shrugs. "I have to be. Right?"

"Man, don't do this to yourself," Gray sighs, gripping Natsu's shoulder. "Don't live with your head all the way up there. He may be from the future, but there's no way he knows everything. Especially not if he's you." Gray laughs. "She's here. She's alive. And by the way… she's like, glowing or something."

 _Huh?_

"Yeah, totally not kidding," Gray says. "You've gotta come see it."

Natsu can feel a pull towards her, almost like static in the air, but he's still resisting it.

"This morning," Gray says, "you would have done anything, and I mean apparently any-freakin'-thing, to have just a little more time with her. You gonna throw that away now that you've got it?"

"No," Natsu says. "You're right. I'm just… stalling I guess. Do they know when she'll wake up?"

"Hibiki's got no clue man," Gray shrugs. "Although he swears _you're_ the one who changed her clothes."

"What?"

Natsu finally pushes his way into the room and feels his breath catch at the sight of Gina lying on the huge bed. Gray wasn't kidding. She's not just glowing a little bit. She practically looks like a celestial spirit. Erza, Lucy, Levy, and Wendy are all crowded around on the bed, talking to her and touching her hands and hair - trying to wake her up. She's dressed in a Blue Pegasus spaghetti-strap sundress.

"Is she okay?"Natsu finally finds his voice to ask.

"I can't tell," Wendy sighs. "She looks amazing but she's not waking up."

The women all back up to give him room and he sits gently on the bed beside Gina.

"Hey baby," he whispers. "Are you all fixed up now?"

Her curls are now a shiny jet black and her skin is back to its healthy porcelain tone. Her lips are a deeper red than they've ever been, but more than anything he wants to see her violet eyes. Feeling impatient, he leans over her but she still doesn't stir.

"Gina?" he calls to her again.

He takes her hand and an arc of magic shoots straight from their hands through his entire body like lightning. The current knocks him clear off the bed and into a surprised heap on the floor.

 _What the hell?_

"Are you alright?" Wendy squeaks in alarm as everyone else laughs.

"Yikes!" Natsu shouts, trying to shake the sting out of his arm.

"Look!" Levy shouts. "She's waking up!"

Everyone crowds around as the glow dims until its completely reabsorbed into Gina's skin.

* * *

"Gina?" She hears Natsu call her name, his voice a little fuzzy at first. "Can you open your eyes?"

She blinks against the light behind his head and realizes that she's looking into many, many happy Fairy Tail faces. Lucy squeals with glee and turns to throw herself at Gray. Levy turns a smile into Gajeel's chest. She's surrounded by Wendy and little exceeds, but Natsu is who captures her attention.

 _You did it._ She feels overwhelmed by the wonder of it. _You saved me. But… do you know that?_

"Where am I?" Gina asks.

"Hibiki brought you back here to Christina," Carla explains. "We've been waiting for you to wake up. Natsu from the future claimed he healed your illness. Is that true?"

 _So, he didn't tell them?_

"Is he still here?" she asks.

"No," Natsu says, with a frown she doesn't understand. "He had to go back, but he said you'd be fine now. Was he… was he lying?"

"No," she assures him. "No. I… I think it will be okay now."

"This calls for a celebration!" Erza declares. "I'm going down to the galley to whip up a strawberry cake. Come on, everyone!"

Everyone but Natsu follows her out. He just sits there, looking down at her. She can't quite tell if he's happy or sad.

"You have every right to be mad at me," Gina sighs, reaching out to touch his arm. Needing to feel him.

"I am," he says, looking away. "I'm… _holy dragons,_ I'm exhausted."

He looks a little gray and she realizes that he must be coming down from the magic-enhancing potion he was given.

"Oh my gosh," she says, backing up, "Come lie down. I can't believe you're still sitting up. Did you guys run into any trouble?"

"That is… such a long story," he swallows hard.

"It's okay," she says. "You don't have to tell me now. Just lie down."

He hesitates. "Are you… is that still okay? I mean, I don't want to…"

"Oh please," she sighs, tugging him down with very little effort. "It's the best seat in the house. Or ship…" _Well, for me it is._

Natsu lies down and she watches the strength leech from him, but he battles to stay awake. "Gina, why did you run with Gajeel?"

"I didn't want you to suffer through seeing me die," she answers honestly.

"It would have hurt just as much," he whispers. "Maybe more."

"I'm sorry," she says, rolling over to cuddle against him.

He stiffens for a moment, and she wonders if she's damaged their relationship too much with her pain. Then she remembers the Sire mark he'll carry one day - carry of his own free will - and it gives her courage. He was fighting for their future together. Not apart. After a moment, he relaxes and wraps himself around her tightly, burying his face in her hair.

She catches sight of Hibiki standing in the corner with a somber expression, watching them. As soon as he realizes he's been seen, he turns and leaves.

 _How odd…_

"Gina…" Natsu says, pulling back to look at her through sleepy eyes, "Before you left, you… I mean… Did you just do that to… uh, to put me to sleep?"

It takes her a moment to realize he's talking about when she kissed him, and another moment to realizes she can do so again without risking his life. With her body attuned to his now, it will never draw enough from him to jeopardize his own safety.

"No, Natsu," she says with a smile. "I actually didn't think about putting you to sleep until I panicked."

"Really?" his huge, sleepy grin and blush warm her heart. "I wouldn't mind… going to sleep now."

"Oh really?" she asks.

Gina leans forward and captures his lips with her own, feeling his familiar love wash over her. She rolls over to thread her fingers into his hair and he deepens the kiss with a groan. She lets herself get lost beneath the pleasure until she feels his hands begin to tremble and she pulls back to see tears on his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, Natsu," she says, feeling regret tighten her throat.

"I'll be fine," he says, swiping a hand beneath his eye. "I'm just... really tired."

She presses her lips against his gently one more time, and then she touches his temple to put him to sleep. Then she dries his tears and pulls up the blankets to snuggle both of them beneath. A sound catches her ear, and she sees Gajeel standing there when she turns. He's covered in bandages, and she can only hope that's not all from Natsu.

"What do you plan to do now, Spitfire?" Gajeel asks.

"I'm not sure," she admits. "But I don't want to run anymore."

"Good," he nods, turning to stare out of one of the huge bay windows. "What about him?"

"I love him," she says, watching Gajeel jump in surprise, "but I've put him through a lot. He's exhausted, and he needs to recover his strength. I also… need time to heal. My body is fine but I think you know the rest of me is still a bit of a mess. For now… I'd just like to sleep until we get home. Then we can decide what we want to do."

"I'll keep everyone away until we land," he nods. "Just… don't waste this chance, yeah?"

"I won't," she smiles, snuggling into Natsu's side to go back to sleep.

 _I'm going home._

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed Choosing You. As you might have guessed, this is the first book in a 2-part story. I hope to begin posting the sequel, Trusting You, sometime in August. Thank you to all of you who favorited and followed, left me comments, and gave me warm fuzzies. This story went all kinds of places I didn't expect but I loved being on the roller coaster with you. If you enjoyed this one, please spread the words to friends so that the sequel can be enjoyed by as many people as possible as it's coming out.**

 **\- KittenCobra**


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